Male sex hormone loss aids brain tumour growth

Men typically have a higher incidence of cancer and poorer outcomes compared with women1. Although the mechanisms underlying these sex differences remain under investigation, they are thought to be mediated by sex hormones called androgens, which are needed for the body to develop male characteristics. These hormones have been shown to weaken the immune system’s ability to respond to cancer, and blocking androgen signalling can enhance the success of immunotherapy for a number of tumour types2,3. However, writing in Nature, Lee et al.4 report that androgens have the opposite effect on the growth of brain tumours.

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-026-01159-7

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Competing Interests The author declares no competing interests.

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