ABCNEWS.com : Fighting Cancer With Companionship: "a new study at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, where researchers worked with men and their partners, teaching couples meditation techniques and developing special diets. They hope to prove that these factors can help control the disease"

The couples also practice meditation, which not only makes the dietary change easier to handle, but also helps with the stress of "living with" cancer.

"They felt better about themselves, they were less anxious, depression levels went down," said Carmody. "That's good for their health and perhaps impacts on the progression of a life-threatening disease."