A new study revealing that women may be at greater risk of serious side effects after cancer treatments is raising concerns within the mesothelioma community. The study, conducted by researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, revealed a 34% increase of severe adverse effects in women compared to men.
Promising Mesothelioma Treatment Shown as Having Greatest Risk for Women
The study, which was published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, pointed to a particularly pronounced risk among women receiving immunotherapy, the innovative treatment that represents the greatest hope for mesothelioma patients. Immunotherapy stimulates the body’s own immune system and trains it to recognize and attack specific cancer cells. Researchers found that women receiving immunotherapy had a 49% increased risk of severe adverse effects compared to men.
Though men are statistically at greater risk for mesothelioma than women are, the last several years have seen an increasing number of women diagnosed with the rare, asbestos-related disease. This is due in part to more women being in the work force over the last several decades, and in part to asbestos contamination in household and consumer products.
Study Linking Sex to Drug Toxicity Concerns Women with Mesothelioma
Though one immunotherapy treatment has recently been approved for treatment of malignant mesothelioma, most women with the disease continue to be treated with chemotherapy. The study’s authors are exploring the idea that “sex may independently modulate drug toxicity.” They offered several explanations for the differences in side effects, including greater relative doses based on body type differences, differing symptom perception between the sexes, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics.
Commenting on their findings, the group wrote, “If confirmed, our findings suggest that underlying mechanisms may result in generalized worse toxicity outcomes for women, with or without corresponding survival improvements or detriments. Therefore, more awareness of symptom differences or reporting differences in women versus men is needed.”
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, adverse effects of treatment are a significant concern. For more information, contact the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net today at 1-800-692-8608.
