Cancer risk: Men are more likely to develop multiple tumours than women, according to study

Cancer is a condition in which the cells in a specific part of your body grow and reproduce uncontrollably. These cancerous cells can destroy the surrounding healthy tissues, including organs. As the cancer spreads, it becomes harder to treat it. However, if it is caught in the place of origin before it spreads, the chances of long-term survival become much higher.

The cause for cancer is still not clearly known. Statistics suggest around one in two people will develop cancer in their lifetime. A number of risk factors can affect someone's chances of getting cancer. While some of these factors can be controlled, others can't. A new study has found that one such uncontrollable risk factor is one’s gender.

A new study conducted by the American Cancer Society has found that men are more likely to develop a greater range of cancers than women. These findings on men being at a higher risk are regardless of other factors such as smoking, alcohol use, and other risk factors.

The conclusion was reached after analysis of 294,100 patients and the subsequent tracking of cancers in their genders, which developed between 1995 and 2011.

While the scientists do not know why men are at a higher risk, they believe understanding this difference could help in developing both preventative and reactive cancer-related health treatments.

According to the study, the cancer development risks were 1.3 to 10.8 times higher in men than women. The greatest increased risks in men were seen for esophageal cancer (10.8 times higher risk), larynx (3.5 times higher), gastric cardia (3.5 times higher), and bladder cancer (3.3 times higher risk).

The researchers found that the incidence was lower in men than women only for thyroid and gallbladder cancers.

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During this 16-year period, 17,951 cancers began in men while 8,742 developed in women. After analysis of these cases, it was concluded that men had increased risk of developing most cancers, after taking into account risk factors and exposure to carcinogens (a substance, organism or agent capable of causing cancer).

Dr Sarah Jackson of the National Cancer Institute said, “Our results show that there are differences in cancer incidence that are not explained by environmental exposures alone. This suggests that there are intrinsic biological differences between men and women that affect susceptibility to cancer.” The authors say more research is required to understand why there are differences between men and women regarding cancer risk.

Lifestyle factors were responsible for only a small fraction of the difference between men and women.

Dr Jackson said the differences in lifestyle factors like smoking, diet, and health conditions such as diabetes between men and women explain only 20 percent of the male bias in bladder cancer, that men are “more than three times more likely to develop than women.”

However, lifestyle factors can still influence a person’s risk of developing cancer which is why experts urge men and women to maintain a healthy diet, exercise regularly, avoid tobacco, and avoid alcohol consumption or consume moderately.

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The main symptoms of cancer depend on the type of cancer an individual has developed. However, there are some generic signs which overlap between various forms of cancer. It’s important to be aware of any new or worrying symptoms and consult your doctor to be on the safer side.

Cancer signs and symptoms to look out for include changes in bowel habits, bloating, chest pain, breathlessness, lumps, and new moles. Other signs include unexplained weight loss, abdominal or back pain, indigestion and heartburn. It is best to consult your doctor as these common signs could also be an indication of any other non-alarming and temporary health issue.