Cancer, chemo, and immunotherapy have major adverse effects on women
“After chemotherapy or immunotherapy women have 38% more risk than men of developing serious negative side effects ”, notes a study by an American team published by the“ Journal of Clinical Oncology ”. Phase II and III clinical trials conducted between 1980 and 2019 in the SWOG Cancer Research Center between 1980 and 2019 were studied. Only cancers excluding those related to sex such as prostate and breast cancer. In the sample of 23,000 patients, 38% women, developed over 270,000 adverse effects. The US biostatistician Joseph M. Unger (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center), lead author of the study, “confirmed a large increase in severe toxicity in women who received immunotherapies compared to men and for this reason it is necessary to better understand why this happens” .
Cancer, better study the reasons for the different risk between the two sexes
The value of the study lies in the fact that it is the first to systematically evaluate, across a broad spectrum, the differences in treatment toxicity between the two sexes after both traditional and targeted chemotherapy and immunotherapy treatments. In the study, it was clear that women had toxicity and risks of adverse effects on blood cells and tissues, particularly in colon cancer patients. What are the reasons? Health professionals have several hypotheses. In particular Unger argues that “There may be differences in the extent to which women and men confirm adverse events and there may be differences in the way they cope with drugs. Women, for example, are less able to eliminate fluorouracil, an anticancer treatment that kills cells that grow out of control. “ The study also reveals that the gut microbiome (the gut ecosystem of microorganisms) may also play a role in these differences in how women and men metabolize drugs due to that part of the body’s role in regulating inflammation, immunity and metabolism.
Cancers, women have more side effects after chemo
The study, according to several oncologists, confirmed something that doctors already suspected, namely that the women had more side effects and therefore it will be very important to consider this problem when administering certain drugs. It was also found that adherence to oral treatments is greater in women than in men and the immune system in both sexes also behaves differently. Healthcare professionals are fairly in agreement that the hormonal system that differentiates men and women has implications for the immune system and is therefore It is necessary to adapt drug treatments based on gender. Currently the doses are prepared taking into account the weight and the body surface, but in the future it will have to be adjusted according to the sex or their hormonal situation.
Cancers, only cells from male animals are used in the studies
According to some scientists, one of the big problems in cancer research is that male cells are used before drugs are tested on men use animal guinea pigs, usually males. So it often happens that most of the preclinical data comes from male animal cells and the data we have is therefore potentially good for men, but it is not known whether they are equally good for women. An article in the journal Oncology confirms greater adverse effects in women with melanoma or lung cancer after immunotherapy. The study found more immune-associated side effects and more likely to develop endocrinopathies (hormonal disorders, such as hypothyroidism) and pneumonia. Gender inequalities are evident throughout the cancer treatment process.
Cancer, gender inequalities in research
For example, in the case of bladder, lung or kidney cancers women experience more delays in diagnosis and treatment because these cancers are usually attributed to older men, making doctors less likely to look for these cancers. The American team believes that greater awareness of the differences between women and men is needed in order to improve the quality of therapies. The hope is that cancer patients can receive more targeted care and that the patient’s gender becomes an important element when studying treatments.