Scientists believe they have uncovered the crucial reason why a common blood cancer is not only more frequent in men but also significantly more severe. The findings point to fundamental biological differences between the sexes, rather than lifestyle factors, as the primary driver.
Study Reveals Stark Gender Disparity in Severity
Researchers from the University of Alabama conducted a detailed analysis of 850 newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients, of whom just over half were men. After accounting for variables like smoking, age, and body weight, the results were striking. Men were found to be twice as likely as women to be diagnosed with stage 3 multiple myeloma, the most advanced and serious phase where the cancer has spread.
Furthermore, the study, published in the journal Cancer, showed male patients were 71% more likely to have impaired kidney function and 24% more likely to exhibit organ damage at diagnosis compared to their female counterparts.
Biological Mechanisms, Not Just Lifestyle, to Blame
The team emphasised that the disparity in symptoms and disease progression highlights sex-specific biological mechanisms at work. "This research suggests that sex-specific mechanisms promote multiple myeloma pathogenesis, which may account for the excess risk seen in men," said lead researcher Dr Krystle Ong, a pathologist at the University of Alabama.
While men in the study did have higher rates of smoking and alcohol use, the analysis was adjusted for these and other factors, including race, income, and body mass index. The data indicates the root cause lies deeper than behaviour. Key biological markers also differed: men were 72% more likely to have high serum monoclonal protein and 60% more likely to have Kappa light chain disease, both common in myeloma.
Paving the Way for Personalised Treatment
The implications of this research are significant for future patient care. Understanding these inherent differences could lead to more tailored diagnostics and therapies. "These findings may be used to improve risk stratification, diagnosis, and tailored treatment for both men and women," Dr Ong added.
Multiple myeloma, a cancer of the bone marrow, affects approximately 36,110 people annually in the US, with men constituting about 55% (20,000) of cases. It leads to around 12,000 deaths each year, with a five-year survival rate of about 62%. The disease causes debilitating bone pain, fatigue, and bleeding.
Prominent figures like former NBC news anchor Tom Brokaw have battled the condition. Diagnosed in his early 70s in 2013, Brokaw underwent chemotherapy and achieved remission. Now 85, he continues maintenance therapy, illustrating the disease's treatable but incurable nature, managed typically through chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or bone marrow transplants.
