“Effects of Biological Sex on Cancer Metabolism: Developing a New Paradigm for Precision Oncology”
There is a sex disparity in multiple cancers throughout the human body where males have higher incidence and mortality compared to females. Data are emerging that implicate the effects of biological sex as an important driver of this disparity. While some of the sex differences that explain this disparity come from the actions of sex hormones, Dr. Ippolito’s lab is discovering cell-intrinsic sex differences in cellular metabolism where male cancer cells have higher consumption of sugars and amino acids compared to females. We demonstrate that this phenomenon can be used to predict sex-specific response as well as resistance to conventional cancer therapies. Together, these findings highlight a new paradigm in precision oncology that focus on sex and metabolism to improve outcomes.