Women, Men, and Cancer Survivorship: A Commentary on Current Data and Possible Underlying Issues

Tonorezos et al.'s recent analysis of U.S. cancer survivorship prevalence provides insightful commentary on the dramatic increase of those surviving the disease over the last 50 years. This growth is reflective of improvements in cancer detection, treatment, and the effects of an aging population. While survival rates have seen a significant increase, more focus is needed on the long term and postsurvivorship health care. What Tonorezos et al.'s piece also indicates is that survivorship trends reveal disparities based on several variables, such as age, sex, and cancer type. Women tend to be diagnosed earlier and have higher survival rates when compared to men, arguably due to more frequent screenings vis-a-vis a sequela of increased utilization of care. Men have higher cancer incidence rates among the aging population, accompanied by lower survival rates, frequently linked to late diagnosis and less utilization of preventive care. Addressing sex-specific disparities is pivotal to developing future treatment plans among cancer survivors. Health care providers must adjust to the multifaceted demands of the population. Public health movements should focus on increasing awareness and promotion of early detection in the male population, taking note of the successful initiatives seen in women's health. It is imperative that these disparities and long-term needs are assimilated into the comprehensive conversation about cancer care to improve outcomes for all survivors.