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NCI Study Finds Men More Likely to Be Diagnosed at Later Stages for Many Cancers

Authors say biological, behavioral, access, health-system factors likely drive the gaps, urging targeted early-detection measures.

Overview

  • The National Cancer Institute analysis, published July 1, examined 2,401,772 nonreproductive cancer cases from the SEER registry for 2015–2022 (2020 excluded).
  • Men had higher odds of regional-stage diagnosis for 16 of 30 cancers and higher odds of distant metastasis at diagnosis for 17 of 30 cancers in the study.
  • The largest male disadvantages were for tongue, thyroid, and salivary gland cancers, with adjusted odds ratios showing roughly twofold greater likelihood of later-stage diagnosis for some sites.
  • A small set of cancers showed the opposite pattern, with men less likely than women to have later-stage diagnoses for cancers such as bladder, larynx, anal, and liver.
  • Study authors and outside experts described causes as multifactorial—including biology, lower preventive-care use by men, delayed symptom evaluation, clinician recognition, and access barriers—and recommended site-specific early-detection strategies and further research to reduce delays.