Higher BMI Tied to Narrower Sex Survival Gap in Lung Cancer

A large European study reveals that higher body mass index (BMI) may reduce the survival gap between men and women with lung cancer.

Researchers analyzed over 7,300 patients diagnosed at Helsinki University Hospital from 2015 to 2024, with external validation from four European sites. Patients were grouped into low, normal, and high BMI cohorts.

In the normal BMI group, two-year survival was 46% for women versus 29% for men. Among patients with high BMI, the gap narrowed to 51% for women and 41% for men. The survival advantage for women was 32% smaller in the high BMI group.

The effect was strongest in squamous cell carcinoma, moderate in adenocarcinoma, and absent in small cell lung cancer. External validation showed consistent results in Helsinki and UK cohorts, but weaker findings in Denmark and Belgium.

Experts call for routine BMI reporting in lung cancer trials, noting it may serve as a proxy for underlying metabolic and immune factors.