背景：性别对于各种癌症的表观遗传机制的研究至关重要。然而，在这个领域中，很少有人对性别和性别分析（SGBA）的状况进行评估。本研究的目标是自2010年以来对癌症表观遗传学领域中有关性别和性别的表示、讨论和数据分析进行批判性评价。 方法：使用PRISMA-ScR范围审查法对111篇同行评议的研究进行了研究，其中包括结直肠癌、胃癌、头颈部癌症、肝细胞癌和肺癌的研究。由一组流行病学家和生物伦理学家进行数据提取和质量评估。 结果：在111个纳入的研究中，仅有17个研究（15.3％）明确表示性别和性别分析是其主要目标。共有103个研究（92.8％）对性别作为生物学变量或社会变量进行了详细分析，而另外8个研究（7.2％）只是按性别进行了结果分层。虽然性别在所有符合条件的研究中都是一个关键方面，但只有7个研究（6.3％）明确定义了"sex"或"gender"这些术语，剩下的104个研究（93.7％）使用了"sex"或"gender"这些词却没有提供定义。共有84个研究（75.7％）混淆了"sex"和"gender"的概念，而44个研究（39.6％）在使用"sex"和"gender"这些术语时不一致。 结论：很少有研究按照SAGER指南对性别/性别数据进行了严格的分析。我们呼吁制定明确和有针对性的指南，以指导表观遗传学研究中性别/性别作为变量的使用。

Background: Sex and gender are vitally important in the study of epigenetic mechanisms for various types of cancer. However, little has been done to assess the state of sex and gender-based analyses (SGBA) in this field. The aim was to undertake a critical evaluation of sex and gender representation, discussion, and data analysis within the cancer epigenetics field since 2010. Methods: A PRISMA-ScR scoping review was conducted with 111 peer-reviewed studies comprising of colorectal, gastric, head and neck, hepatocellular carcinoma, and lung cancers. Data extraction and a quality appraisal were performed by a team of epidemiologists and bioethicists. Results: Of the 111 included studies, only 17 studies (15.3%) explicitly stated sex and gender analysis to be their primary aim. A total of 103 studies (92.8%) provided a detailed analysis of sex/gender as a biological or social variable, while the remaining 8 studies (7.2%) only stratified results by sex/gender. Although sex and gender were a key facet in all the eligible studies, only 7 studies (6.3%) provided an explicit definition of the terms "sex" or "gender", while the remaining 104 studies (93.7%) used the words "sex" or "gender" without providing a definition. A total of 84 studies (75.7%) conflated the concepts of "sex" and "gender", while 44 studies (39.6%) were inconsistent with their usage of the "sex" and "gender" terms. Conclusions: Very few studies offered a robust analysis of sex/gender data according to SAGER guidelines. We call for clear and directed guidelines regarding the use of sex/gender as a variable in epigenetics research.