Sex disparities revealed by single-cell and bulk sequencing and their impacts on the efficacy of immunotherapy in esophageal cancer

ConclusionsOur study delineated the robust genomic and cellular sex disparities in EC. Furthermore, male, rather than female, derived significantly benefits from immunotherapy. These results have implications for treatment decision-making and developing immunotherapy for personalized care.Plain English SummaryIn the past several years, immunotherapy has gradually replaced the traditional chemotherapy as the standard treatment in esophageal cancer. It is well-established that immunological responses in male and female differ significantly. However, there is an ongoing debate on whether sex can impact the treatment outcomes in immunotherapy. In the present study, we systematically characterized the genomic and cellular landscapes of esophageal cancer, and revealed the significant differences between male and female patients. Furthermore, with over 2000 patients with esophageal cancer, we showed that only men can benefit from immunotherapy. In women, immunotherapy failed to show superior over chemotherapy. These results have implications for treatment decision-making and developing next-generation immunotherapy for personalized care.
Source: Biology of Sex Differences - Category: Biology Source Type: research