Some brain tumors, such as glioblastoma, the most common and invasive brain tumor in humans, occur more frequently in men and are more dangerous than women.

But why?

Now scientists from Washington University in St. Louis seem to have found the answer to this question..

In their study, which was published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation, university researchers found that the retinoblastoma (RB) gene protein, which is associated with a reduced risk of cancer, is less active in male cells than in female cells..

Dr. Joshua Rubin and colleagues began their study with a series of experiments on a cellular model of glioblastoma. These experiments included working with the brain cells of men and women, tumor growth factor and numerous genetic mechanisms..

Scientists have concluded that tumors occur more often and grow faster in the brain tissue of men..

To determine what is behind this phenomenon, the researchers analyzed three genes - neurofibromin, p53 and RB.. Normally, these genes suppress the growth of tumors, affecting the division and viability of cancer cells.. Scientists note that in many cases of cancer there are mutations of these genes.

Dr. Rubin's team confirmed that RB protein in male cells is much more likely to be inactivated compared to female cells.. What's more, the artificial shutdown of this protein in women's brain cells makes them just as susceptible to cancer as men's..

Dr. Rubin says these results are very important for identifying people at increased risk of brain cancer and developing new ways to treat and prevent glioblastoma..

“This is the first time science has found gender differences in cancer risk at the cellular level, and this is a startling discovery.. Our results suggest that we should continue to search for cellular mechanisms associated with cancer, focusing specifically on gender differences.. Gender characteristics can not only affect the risk of cancer, but also the effectiveness of its treatment,” said the scientist..

The doctor adds that not only brain tumors are more common in men than in women.. The same applies to liver tumors, and here the new discovery also has great potential..

He concluded: “Knowing more about why cancer rates differ between women and men will help us better understand the underlying mechanisms of cancer, search for better drugs, and conduct more informed clinical trials.”.

medbe. en.