Scientists have long suspected that androgens, male sex hormones like testosterone, may help tumors grow because the hormones can suppress immune responses to some cancers. New research from the lab of Cleveland Clinic's Justin Lathia, PhD, provides a different viewpoint: testosterone helps slow the growth of glioblastoma in men.

The article, published in Nature, observes that blocking testosterone makes tumors grow faster—which aligns with trends observed in male glioblastoma patients. Along with changing the narrative around the inclusion of testosterone in cancer treatment, the findings highlight that when it comes to therapeutics, tumor location is a crucial factor.