Longevity & Aging

Men Diagnosed With Late-Stage Cancer Far More Often Than Women Across 20 Tumor Types

A large national registry study found that men are more likely than women to be diagnosed with cancer at a later, more advanced stage across 20 different cancer types. Analyzing 30 non-reproductive cancers, researchers found men had higher odds of regional or distant spread at diagnosis in two-thirds of cases. The biggest gaps appeared in tongue, thyroid, and salivary gland cancers, where late-stage diagnosis occurred twice as often in men. Only bladder cancer showed the reverse pattern. Experts attribute the disparity to lower healthcare engagement, delayed symptom reporting, cultural norms around masculinity, and structural barriers like work schedules. The findings reinforce calls for more personalized, risk-based cancer screening strategies targeting men specifically.