Women have better survival rates after lung cancer surgery than men, a study shows

Reviewed by Emily Henderson, B.Sc.November 23, 2020

There are known differences in the survival rates of women and men with lung cancer. Researchers from the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden set out to investigate the potential reasons behind this disparity, such as the presence of other underlying diseases and smoking habits. The study, published in Chest, shows that women have better survival rates after lung cancer surgery than men, regardless of other factors.

Previous studies conducted by the Karolinska Institutet and other research organizations have shown a link between female sex and a lower overall risk of disease, as well as better survival in many forms of cancer that affect both sexes. But one exception to this is lung cancer, where female sex could be a risk factor.

Previous studies of sex differences in survival after lung cancer treatment have yielded mixed results. A research team from the Karolinska Institutet therefore decided to further investigate the link between sex and survival after lung cancer surgery.

The healthcare industry is constantly striving to offer all patients equal treatment tailored to their individual needs. This type of study can help shed light on the systematic differences that ultimately affect patient outcomes. “

Erik Sachs, first author of the study, resident in cardiothoracic surgery at Karolinska University Hospital and PhD student in the Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery of the Karolinska Institutet

In a population-based national registry study, researchers analyzed gender differences in survival in women and men after lung cancer surgery, taking into account a wide range of factors such as socioeconomic differences, age, habit smoking, comorbidities, tumor characteristics and the type and extent of surgery. Follow-up was performed 1, 5 and 10 years after surgery.

The sample consisted of 6,536 patients who underwent lung cancer surgery in Sweden between 2008 and 2017, of whom just over half were women. The average age was 67 for women and 68 for men. More women were non-smokers, and women had a lower incidence of comorbidities than men.

Results show that women had 27% lower mortality than men, regardless of factors such as comorbidities, age, socioeconomic status, lifestyle factors, physical function, type and extent of surgery, tumor characteristics, and stage of the tumor. . The best survival pattern in women was observed in all age categories except the younger patients, where the difference was not as pronounced.

“Our findings are significant, as they suggest that the prognosis for lung cancer can likely be improved, but more research is needed in this area,” says Veronica Jackson, researcher in the Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, specialist in thoracic surgery and the latest author of the study. “Further studies that specifically investigate the effects of lifestyle, socio-cultural conditions and the presence of any inequalities in the provision of care would probably be useful.”