Women with stomach cancer live longer than men patients: Study

According to a study conducted at the Royal Marsden Hospital in Britain, women who are suffering from stomach cancer are more likely to survive more as compared to men with same health condition.

By: IANS | | Published: May 29, 2019 7:22 pm

Female patients were significantly more likely to live longer than male ones following treatment for their cancer. ©Shutterstock

Researchers have found that female patients with oesophagus and stomach cancer are likely to survive longer than male patients, but experience more nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea during therapy. Also Read - Researchers discover new method to reduce chemotherapy doses for patients

The findings of a latest UK study could potentially help in managing patients and also highlight who are more at risk against specific side effects. Also Read - Here is how to manage hair loss and other side-effects of cancer treatment

“We tend to use a standard treatment approach for managing oesophageal and stomach cancer. What this research suggests is that there are significant differences between male and female patients not only in how they react to chemotherapy but also how long they survive following treatment for their cancer” said study lead author Avani Athauda from Royal Marsden Hospital in Britain. Also Read - Tiny bubbles in our body to fight cancer better than chemo

“For female patients, it may be worthwhile providing additional awareness and counselling for gastrointestinal side effects when prescribing chemotherapy,” Athauda said.

For the study, the researchers conducted an analysis on data taken from four previously published large randomised trials conducted primarily in the UK.

Patients in the trials had been allocated to receive chemotherapy before undergoing surgery to remove the tumours.

In the analysis of over 3,000 patients (2,668 male patients and 597 female), the researchers found female patients were significantly more likely to experience nausea (10 per cent versus 5 per cent), vomiting (10 per cent versus 4 per cent) and diarrhoea (9 per cent versus 4 per cent).

Female patients were also significantly more likely to live longer than male ones following treatment for their cancer, said the study.

“This is a significant finding based on a large scale data set, and furthers our understanding about two types of cancer that affect almost 16,000 people each year in the UK alone,” said David Cunningham, Professor at the University of London.

The study is scheduled to be presented at American Society of Clinical Oncology’s(ASCO)annual meeting in Chicago.

Published : May 29, 2019 7:22 pm

Read Disclaimer