Pain in head and neck cancer patients: The role of gender

Purpose: The purpose of this paper was to investigate the role of gender in the perception and tolerance of pain in head and neck cancer patients. Pain has a multifactorial etiology, characterized by personal experience and emotional impact, location, intensity and quality perception. Gender-related factors may have an impact on the development, perception and tolerance of pain. Gender medicine is an evolving transversal medical field, also focusing on algology and pain management. Methods: Literature review. A systematic electronic search was undertaken using PubMed, Embase and Cinahl databases. A selection of available studies was then performed according to PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) criteria (http://www. prisma-statement.org/). Results: There were few studies in the literature examining the role of gender pain manifestation in head and neck cancer patients, including pain perception and tolerance after surgical treatment. However, available data show that (i) several factors can influence pain perception and tolerance among sexes, and that (ii) pain perception in head and neck cancer patients seems to be more prevalent in women, also in the postoperative stage. Conclusion: Gender Medicine is an evolving field; in the future, additional investigations could help us in better understanding the origin, the features and the differences between pain perception and tolerance between sexes, therefore leading us to provide a more specific and tailored pain therapeutic plan, also for head and neck cancer patients.