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. 2023 Jul;25(7):2069-2076.
doi: 10.1007/s12094-023-03112-w. Epub 2023 Feb 18.

Sex differences in the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of cancer: the rationale for an individualised approach

Ruth Vera  1 , Oscar Juan-Vidal  2 , María José Safont-Aguilera  3 , Francisco Ayala de la Peña  4 , Aránzazu González Del Alba  5
Affiliations

Sex differences in the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of cancer: the rationale for an individualised approach

Ruth Vera et al. Clin Transl Oncol. 2023 Jul.

Abstract

Background: Precision medicine in oncology aims to identify the most beneficial interventions based on a patient's individual features and disease. However, disparities exist when providing cancer care to patients based on an individual's sex.

Objective: To discuss how sex differences impact the epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical manifestations, disease progression, and response to treatment, with a focus on data from Spain.

Results: Genetic and environmental factors (social or economic inequalities, power imbalances, and discrimination) that contribute to these differences adversely affect cancer patient health outcomes. Increased health professional awareness of sex differences is essential to the success of translational research and clinical oncological care.

Conclusions: The Sociedad Española de Oncología Médica created a Task Force group to raise oncologists' awareness and to implement measures to address sex differences in cancer patient management in Spain. This is a necessary and fundamental step towards optimizing precision medicine that will benefit all individuals equally and equitably.

Keywords: Cancer; Epidemiology; Female; Male; Sex; Treatment.

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Conflict of interest statement

Ruth Vera has received honoraria from or acted in an advisory role for Roche, Sanofi, MSD, Merck, Eisai, Novartis, Pierre Fabre, Lilly, BAXTER, and ABBOTT, funding for educational or research programmes from Roche, Lilly and MSD, as well as payment of travel/accommodation expenses from Roche, Merck, Sanofi, Pierre Fabre, and MSD. Oscar Juan-Vidal has received honoraria from or acted in an advisory role for Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Roche/Genentech, AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Eli Lilly, AbbVie, and Takeda, and has received travel/accommodation expenses from Takeda and AstraZeneca. María José Safont Aguilera has received honoraria from or acted in an advisory role for Amgen, Merck, Servier, and Pierre Fabre, and travel/accommodation expenses from Amgen, Merck and Servier. Francisco Ayala de la Peña has received honoraria from or acted in an advisory role for AstraZeneca, Celgene, Eisai, Novartis, Roche, Pfizer, Pierre Fabre, Lilly, Sanofi, Seagen, and Daichi-Sankyo, funding for educational or research programmes from Celgene, Roche, and MSD, and travel/accommodation expenses from Roche, Pfizer, Celgene, Eisai, Pfizer, Pierre Fabre, and MSD. Aránzazu González del Alba has received research funding from Astellas, travel grants from Astellas, Jansen, Sanofi, BMS, Roche, Pfizer, MSD and Ipsen and honoraria for speaker engagements, advisory boards and continuous medical education from Janssen, Astellas, Sanofi, Bayer, Roche, Ipsen, BMS, MSD, Pfizer, Eusa Pharma, Eisai, Novartis, AAA and AstraZeneca.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Sexual dimorphism in the incidence of different cancer types unrelated to reproductive functions representing the percentages of new diagnosed cancer cases in 2020 among men and women. The percentage values have been calculated using data retrieved from the Global Cancer Observatory GLOBOCAN 2020 [68]. The data have been extracted from Cardano M [12]. Created using Biorender
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