Marital Status Is Associated With Treatment Attainment in Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma

In patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma, for whom complex pre- and postoperative therapy is necessary, the effects of social support by means of marital status have not been well studied. We therefore sought to assess the relationship of marital status with treatment attainment in patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

This retrospective national cohort analysis used the SEER database and included adult patients with stage I-III pancreatic adenocarcinoma from 2018 to 2022 (n = 24 540). Rates of treatment (surgery, chemotherapy, radiation), time to treatment, and treatment delay (> 6 weeks from diagnosis) were compared between married, divorced, single, and widowed patients.

Of the eligible 24 540 patients, 14 280 (58.2%) were married, 2731 (9.7%) were divorced, 3665 (14.9%) were single, and 3864 (15.7%) were widowed. Multivariable analysis demonstrated decreased likelihood of undergoing surgery for divorced (aOR: 0.61, p < 0.001), single (aOR: 0.60, p < 0.001), and widowed (aOR: 0.37, p < 0.001) patients versus married patients. Likelihood of treatment delay was higher for divorced (aOR: 1.36, p < 0.001), single (aOR: 1.43, p < 0.001), and widowed (aOR: 1.46, p < 0.001) patients versus married patients as well.

Married patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma had higher rates of surgery and reduced likelihood of treatment delay compared to divorced, single, and widowed patients.