women more likely to survive cancer

Women are more likely to survive cancer than men, but they face an increased risk of side effects serious and adverse effects due to treatment, according to an international study led by the University of Adelaide (Australia).

Published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute (JNCI), the investigation identified consistent differences between male and female cancer patients both in survival and in the toxicity of the treatment. Thus, the female patients had a 21% lower risk of death than male patientsbut a risk of 12% higher severe toxicity.

These sex-based differences were largely consistent in 12 types of advanced solid tumorsas well as in the different treatment modalities, including chemotherapy, targeted therapies and immunotherapy, suggesting that they are due to underlying biological mechanisms, and not only to specific effects of the drugs.

Instead of focusing on how specific cancer treatments affect men and women differently – the traditional approach – The study looked at whether sex itself predicts survival and toxicity, regardless of the type of treatment.

Lead author Dr Natansh Modi says the study provides some of the clearest evidence to date that biological sex is a key predictor of results in cancer treatment. “Sex is a fundamental biological factor that influences immune function, drug metabolism, body composition and tumor biology,” he says.

“However, despite long-standing recommendations from regulatory and funding bodies to report results by sex, in many trials it is still treated as a secondary issue and rarely takes into account baseline risk or is used to personalize treatment decisions -continues-. “Our study addresses this question by examining whether sex itself predicts survival and toxicity across a wide range of cancers and therapies.”

And he highlights that “the results were clear: women had a 21% lower risk of death than men, but they also faced a 12% higher risk of serious side effects. Women Demonstrated a Survival Advantage, but at the Cost of Greater Severe Toxicity“he emphasizes.

The study analyzed data from more than 20,000 cancer patients in 39 clinical trials which supported US FDA approvals between 2011 and 2021, covering 12 types of advanced solid tumors, including lung, colorectal, melanoma and breast cancers.

The findings have important implications for the way medications are evaluated and prescribed, reinforcing the need to systematically report and act on sex-specific evidence in clinical research.

For all these reasons, researchers call for biological sex to be recognized as a fundamental prognostic factor in oncologyboth in clinical trials and in daily oncology care.

“This is about improving outcomes for all cancer patients,” says Dr. Modi. “If women are living longer but experiencing more serious side effects, we need to recognize this and act accordingly. At the same time, we need to better understand why male patients appear to have a lower survival rate“

The team says more research is needed to understand the biological mechanisms that drive these differences, including drug exposure, immune regulation, hormonal influences and body composition.