Articolo in rivista, 2023, ENG, 10.3390/antiox12061255

Gender Differences in Oxidative Stress in Relation to Cancer Susceptibility and Survival

Alessandro Allegra; Santino Caserta; Sara Genovese; Giovanni Pioggia; Sebastiano Gangemi;

Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche; Università degli Studi di Messina, Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia; Università degli Studi di Messina

Genetic, developmental, biochemical, and environmental variables interact intricately to produce sex differences. The significance of sex differences in cancer susceptibility is being clarified by numerous studies. Epidemiological research and cancer registries have revealed over the past few years that there are definite sex variations in cancer incidence, progression, and survival. However, oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction also have a significant impact on the response to treatment of neoplastic diseases. Young women may be more protected from cancer than men because most of the proteins implicated in the regulation of redox state and mitochondrial function are under the control of sexual hormones. In this review, we describe how sexual hormones control the activity of antioxidant enzymes and mitochondria, as well as how they affect several neoplastic diseases. The molecular pathways that underlie the gender-related discrepancies in cancer that have been identified may be better understood, which may lead to more effective precision medicine and vital information on treatment options for both males and females with neoplastic illnesses.

Antioxidants 12 (6)

Keywords

antioxidant, cancer, estrogens, gender differences, mitochondria, oxidative stress, reactive oxygen species, sex hormones, testosterone

CNR authors

Gangemi Sebastiano, Genovese Sara, Pioggia Giovanni

CNR institutes

IRIB – Istituto per la Ricerca e l'Innovazione Biomedica