Brain tumors grow significantly faster when male sex hormones are removed, defying the long-standing rule that these hormones fuel cancer.
Prostate and other cancers are often treated by lowering testosterone levels in the body. Glioblastoma in the brain behaves in the exact opposite way because androgens actually support the immune system's fight against the tumor. Removing these hormones weakens the body's natural defense and allows brain cancer to spread more aggressively. This exception highlights why general cancer treatments can backfire depending on where the tumor is located. Men with brain cancer might actually need hormone support rather than hormone suppression to survive.
Androgen loss weakens anti-tumor immunity and accelerates brain tumor growth
research_square · rs-4014556
Abstract Many cancers, including glioblastoma (GBM), have a male-biased sex difference in incidence and outcome. The underlying reasons for this sex bias are unclear but likely involve differences in tumor cell state and immune response. This effect is further amplified by sex hormones, including androgens, which have been shown to inhibit anti-tumor T cell immunity. Here, we show that androgens drive anti-tumor immunity in brain tumors, in contrast to its effect in other tumor types. Upon castr