Marital status as an independent prognostic factor for survival in women with vaginal cancer: evidence from the SEER database analysis

This study aimed to evaluate the influence of marital status on the survival outcomes of women diagnosed with vaginal cancer, considering the potential role of sociodemographic factors in patient prognosis. Utilizing data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database, the study included 6046 women with primary vaginal cancer diagnosed between 2000 and 2020. The propensity score matching (PSM) method was employed to balance comparison groups and account for confounding factors. The primary outcomes were overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS), with Cox proportional-hazards regression models used for statistical analysis. Married patients exhibited better survival outcomes than their unmarried counterparts [OS: hazard ratio = 1.520, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.430-1.630, P < 0.001; CSS: hazard ratio = 1.380, 95% CI = 1.270-1.490, P < 0.001]. Subgroup analyses stratified by age and race highlighted a significant survival benefit for married individuals, particularly those aged 50-69 years and white patients. After PSM, the widowed subgroup within the unmarried category showed worse survival outcomes (OS: hazard ratio = 1.580, 95% CI = 1.430-1.750, P < 0.001; CSS: hazard ratio = 1.360, 95% CI = 1.200-1.530, P < 0.001). This study demonstrates that marital status serves as an independent prognostic factor for OS and CSS among patients with primary vaginal cancer, which supports that unmarried people need more individualized care strategies.