Why Men Are at Higher Risk for Stomach Cancer

The researchers show how estrogen protects women from the gastric inflammation that can lead to cancer. Several types of cancer, including stomach, liver and colon, are far more common in men than in women. Some scientists have theorized that differences in lifestyle, such as diet and smoking, may account for the discrepancy, but growing evidence suggests that the differences are rooted in basic biological differences between men and women.

Adding to that evidence, a new study from MIT shows that treating male mice with estrogen dramatically lowers their rates of stomach cancer -- specifically, cancers caused by chronic infection by the bacterium Helicobacter pylori.

The paper also describes in new detail how estrogen protects against gastric cancer, which could help scientists find better drug targets against the disease.

For more:

http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2011/gastric-cancer-0713.html