Why men face higher cancer risks may depend on the country they live in

Men face a disproportionately higher burden of cancer across the globe, even in cancers that are not specific to gender. While this trend is universal, the reasons behind the discrepancy remain uncertain. A recent study aimed to investigate the extent to which gender-based cancer differences are solely due to biology, and the role of modifiable lifestyle habits and health conditions across various populations.

The study utilized data from two countries: China and the UK. In China, the analysis was conducted on 134,742 adults residing in urban Shanghai, drawing from two long-term studies: the women's and men's health studies. The UK Biobank contributed 455,024 male and female participants from 22 health centers. The researchers examined 34 non-sex-specific cancer types and assessed the impact of 11 modifiable risk factors on the male-female cancer gap.

In China, the 11 measured risk factors, such as diet and metabolic diseases, accounted for 84.4% of the male-female cancer gap, leaving only 15% attributed to unexplained or biological factors. In contrast, in the UK, where men and women display more similar smoking and drinking habits, lifestyle factors only accounted for 26.2% of the sex gap, with metabolic conditions, particularly obesity, emerging as the leading measured driver of disparity.

The findings underscore that the cancer gap between men and women is not solely determined by biological differences but varies significantly between countries, influenced by cultural habits and the overall health status of each population. Therefore, researchers suggest that cancer prevention strategies should be tailored to each population's unique characteristics.