Are single people being treated differently for cancer than married people?

In 2011, DelFattore was diagnosed with stage IV gallbladder cancer that had spread into her liver.

Thanks in no small part to modern medical science, she lived to tell her tale. But by DelFattore’s own reckoning, there was a chance that by not having a husband, her life might have been at unnecessary risk.

The pivotal moment came when she was asked by an oncologist how she’d cope with the harsh side effects of a particularly nasty course of chemotherapy without the dedicated support of a loving partner, children, or parents.

Of course, a nuclear family is no guarantee that a patient will have a network of volunteers to help out when the ravages of chemo make everyday life that much harder to manage. By the same token, being single doesn’t necessarily mean support isn’t available.