Our research focus is the study of gender-specific differences in hematologic neoplasms.
Hematologic neoplasms show a gender-specific difference in incidence rates for men and women of 1.5-3:1 depending on the subtype of the disease. Women also often show better prognostic markers at the time of diagnosis and respond better to therapy compared to men. The reason for the increased risk of men developing blood cancer and showing poorer prognostic factors is not clear. Facts for these differences are few and far between.
We use chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) as a model system in which we systematically collect data to explain these differences and thus improve our understanding of CLL biology. In addition, this information could lead to gender-adapted stratification of patients with regard to the course of the disease and the choice of therapy.