Unmarried status is an established risk factor for worse cancer control outcomes and survival in various malignancies. We tested the effect of marital status on the rate of nonorgan confined disease as well as on cancer-specific mortality (CSM) in patients who underwent radical cystectomy for nonmetastatic urothelial bladder cancer (UCUB).

Within the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database (2007-2015), we identified 11,167 patients (8,639 men and 2,528 women) who underwent radical cystectomy for nonmetastatic UCUB. Temporal trend analyses, logistic regression models, cumulative incidence plots, competing-risks regression models and landmark analyses were used.

Overall, 2,454 men (28.4%) and 1,363 women (53.9%) were unmarried. Unmarried men had a higher rate of nonorgan-confined disease at radical cystectomy (OR: 1.24, CI 1.10-1.33; P < 0.001). Moreover, in men, unmarried status was an independent predictor of higher CSM (HR: 1.24, CI 1.12-1.37) In women, unmarried status neither predicted nonorgan-confined disease at radical cystectomy (OR: 1.07, CI 0.91-1.26; P = 0.37) nor was it associated with CSM (HR: 1.13, CI 0.88-1.31; P = 0.14). In 6-month landmark analyses, unmarried status remained an independent predictor of higher CSM in men (HR: 1.20, CI 1.08-1.33).

Unmarried men have more advanced tumor stage at radical cystectomy and worse CSM compared to married men. Interestingly, marital status did not affect oncologic outcomes in women. These data suggest a gender-specific effect of marital status in UCUB.