Significant sex-based differences exist in the immune system and antitumor immune responses, potentially leading to variations in both the efficacy and toxicity of anticancer immunotherapies. Women generally mount stronger innate and adaptive immune responses than men, which can result in more severe immune-related adverse events (irAEs) during treatments with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). However, the importance of sex dimorphism in the safety of cancer immunotherapy remains underexplored in clinical oncology, despite its profound implications for treatment outcomes. Our review highlights the critical influence of biological sex on pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and immune responses, shaping ICI efficacy and the prevalence, type, and severity of irAEs. Integrating sex as a critical variable in cancer treatment and clinical trial design is essential for personalizing therapeutic strategies, bridging existing knowledge gaps, and enhancing survival rates and quality of life for patients across genders.
免疫系统及抗肿瘤免疫应答存在显著的性别差异，这可能导致抗癌免疫疗法的疗效和毒性反应出现不同。女性通常比男性产生更强的先天性与适应性免疫应答，因而在接受免疫检查点抑制剂治疗时可能出现更严重的免疫相关不良事件。然而，尽管性别二态性对治疗结果具有深远影响，其在癌症免疫治疗安全性中的重要性在临床肿瘤学领域仍未得到充分探索。本综述强调生物性别对药代动力学、药效学及免疫应答的关键影响，这些因素共同塑造了免疫检查点抑制剂的疗效以及免疫相关不良事件的发生率、类型和严重程度。将性别作为癌症治疗和临床试验设计的关键变量，对于实现个体化治疗策略、弥补现有知识空白以及提高不同性别患者的生存率和生活质量至关重要。
Sex-Related Differences in Immunotherapy Toxicities: Insights into Dimorphic Responses
肿瘤(癌症)患者之家