Clinically relevant, gender-specific differences in colorectal carcinoma (CRC)

摘要

The incidence of colorectal cancer worldwide is higher in men. Risk factors like smoking, overweight, or dietary exposures cannot explain this gender difference. In the pathogenesis of colorectal carcinoma, estrogen seems to play an important protective role. Estrogen may reduce the risk of developing colon cancer in premenopausal women. The expression of estrogen receptor ss in healthy colon is significantly decreased in the development of colon cancer. The role of estrogen in pathogenic pathways is most likely protective or might serve as a tumor suppressor. However, the exact role of estrogen in the carcinogenesis of colorectal cancer still remains unclear. Furthermore, tumor localization depends on age and gender. Therefore, in postmenopausal women there is a shift to predominantly right-sided cancers. Here, a link between tumor localization and MSI-H (microsatellite-high) status can be assumed.