Why Men get Cancer More Than Women and How They Can Manage Their Risk

Multi-ethnic group of men running in the park

Multiracial group of men wearing blue shirts, jogging or powerwalking in the park along the waterfront. Focus is on the two men talking in the foreground.

Cancer has become one of the biggest factors that have caused more deaths and risks to life than anything else. Research has suggested that men and women are contracting cancer just like any other disease as the cases are increasing every single year. 

This has been noted by oncologists and researchers as the figures have been on the rise for the last couple of decades. Men seemed to be more prone to cancer than women over time as well. 

Hospitals and clinics dedicated to cancer treatment such as Ahmedabad cancer hospital and many others spread across India are working towards establishing what, why, and how cancers are taking over our lives and why are men more susceptible to cancer than women.

Cancer – A Gamble of Life

Cancer, although less life-threatening than it was decades ago, is still one of the leading causes for men and women and even children to fatally succumb to this disease. Cancers may come unannounced and wreck the entire immunity system that a human has in place long before its first signs are detected. 

But with the advent of modern science and medical technology, cancers are being detected as early as possible, and the sooner it is diagnosed the easier it becomes to save the patient. Cancer is the uninitiated and unwanted mutation of cells that leads to tumors taking over the entire body and harming the healthy cells and defecting immunity. 

It creates havoc in the body and weakens the entire system. Cancer may start at a specific place such as the stomach, the lungs, the throat, or the prostate but it can either stay benign or spread across all the organs if not detected in time to cure it. 

Dedicated cancer facilities are now coming up in India that offer excellent cancer diagnosis and treatment such as the Ahmedabad Cancer Hospital with the help of specialized surgeons, doctors, medicines, and the latest equipment that can eliminate the cancer-causing masses and deactivate the cells in the body using chemotherapy and radiotherapy based on the patient’s status. 

How are men more affected than women?

Recent studies and research has indicated that more men are prone to cancer than women in the world. If women had one in 3 chances of contracting this deadly disease, it turned out that men had one in two chances. Much research has gone into identifying what could be the reason why men were more susceptible to cancer than women. 

One of the most recent and prolific research has suggested that this could be linked to the X chromosome that is present in men and women – the X chromosome can detect the proliferation of the cancerous cells and shut it down. 

This X chromosome exists as a pair in women (XX gene that makes female babies) whereas, in men, it is the X and Y chromosome which means only one pair is able to do this job. This has therefore been established to be the reason why more men are prone to cancer due to the lack of that one extra X chromosome in the gene factor. 

Leading a healthy lifestyle, cutting down on alcohol, smoking, and restricting processed food with preservatives and unwanted artificial ingredients can help manage this risk. Staying away from chemical exposure and environmental factors such as sunlight is also notable.  

 

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