With cancer rates rising at approximately 2.5% each year and with about 50% of cancer patients receiving radiotherapy, radiation oncology has a vital role in modern cancer therapy. We are now seeing ongoing technological advancements, improved treatment strategies and techniques, which allow precision and, hopefully, better outcomes for the patient. These are significant advances that contribute to supporting SDG 3’s aim to reduce premature mortality from non-communicable disease like cancer (Target 3.4), and to ensure universal health coverage, which includes access to quality essential health care services and access to affordable medicines (Target 3.8).

However, there remains a fundamental oversight in research planning and treatment. Namely the gender-specific responses to radiation oncology. In their collection, Gender-specific differences in radiation oncology treatment, Dr Lisa Deloch, Prof Stefanie Corradini and Dr Katharina Hintelmann wanted to explore this important factor and endeavour to find ways to improve treatment for females:

"While it is known, that there are sex-specific differences in e.g. the effectiveness of drugs or chemotherapy, sex-specific differences in response to radiation have not been studied in depth. These differences, however, should be expected, especially as females, for example, have an additional absolute risk of solid tumors after radiation exposure that is up to two-fold increased than that of males. Further, preclinical research has shown DNA-mediated, sex-specific differences in radiation response."

Given that these factors will influence treatment outcomes and side effects, the Editors of this collection stress their importance and strongly encourage their consideration for optimal patient outcomes. The five articles in their collection don’t hold back in putting the spotlight on genders-specific differences in radiation oncology treatment, collating existing knowledge and providing a strong framework for future research.

For example, the article 'The underestimated role of pioneering women in radiation oncology: lessons from the past for today’s practice' highlights the significant but often overlooked contributions of female pioneers - such as Marie Kundt, Marietta Blau, Elisabeth Fleischmann, and Anna Hamann - to the radiation oncology field. And the article 'Radio(chemo)therapy in anal cancer: evaluation of sex-specific disparities across AJCC stages' suggests that sex should be considered in future prognostic assessments and treatment strategies for anal squamous cell carcinomas. Other topics explored in the collection include the reconciliation of family and career in radiation oncology, as well as psychosocial differences between male and female patients during cancer care.

Gender-specific insights into radiation oncology help make care more equitable and effective for all patients, as well as fostering a more supportive working environment within the field. The collection clearly depicts the excellent work being done to ensure that not only are survival rates and treatment improving, but now and in the future genders-specific differences will be central to this and not an afterthought.