Women experience more cancer treatment side effects than men

(Valerie DeBenedette/ Very Well Health) — Women appear to be more likely than men to experience severe adverse events during cancer treatment, according to an analysis of 30 years’ worth of clinical trial data.

While this is not the first time research has highlighted more severe side effects among women undergoing chemotherapy, it’s the first comprehensive review of sex-based differences among patients undergoing immunotherapy and other targeted therapies for cancer.

The study did not discuss the specific types of adverse events that were detailed in the included clinical trials. A table showed that women were more likely to experience gastrointestinal issues, oral issues, sleep issues, and blood- and bone marrow-related issues than men.

These results of the new study, published last month in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, need to be confirmed, lead author Joseph M. Unger, PhD, an associate professor at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, told Verywell. (…)