[Partnership and cancer: do cancer patients and their partners experience changes in their relationship affected by the disease - can a secondary or tertiary gain of illness be observed?].

This work is to study the changes in the partnership during cancer and identify a possible secondary or tertiary disease profit. Thirty-two patients and their partners (n = 64) participated. 84% of patients experience a change in the partner relationship in a positive direction. The increased support through their partner let the patient's situation improve in terms of secondary gain of illness. 69% of patients reported that their partners take on more tasks. 37% of patients with malignant diseases, especially those with hematologic systemic diseases, are trying to protect their partners from additional burdens. 76% of all patients experience more support from the social network. 88% of patients experience the disease to change their view on the meaning of life. Since the majority of patients indicate a positive change in the partner relationship and an increased acquisition of tasks by the partners, our investigation, could confirm the theory of secondary gain, but not the tertiary disease earnings.