Study finds accelerated aging tied to increased early-onset cancer risk
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Accelerated Aging and Its Link to Early-Onset Cancer
Recent research presented at the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024 sheds light on the association between accelerated aging and the increased risk of early-onset cancer, underscoring the need for tailored preventive measures based on biological age.
In the study, researchers from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis examined the data of 148,724 individuals in the U.K. Biobank database. By analyzing nine blood biomarkers associated with accelerated aging, the team calculated each participant’s biological age, which refers to the condition of a person’s body and physiological processes.
Unveiling the Alarming Trends
Upon analyzing the data, the researchers found a concerning trend. Individuals born in or after 1965 were 17% more likely to have accelerated aging compared to those born between 1950 and 1954. Accelerated aging was significantly associated with the incidence of early-onset solid tumors, such as lung, gastrointestinal, and uterine cancers.
Interestingly, accelerated aging did not show a significant impact on the risk of late-onset lung cancer (defined as cancer diagnosed after age 55) but was linked to an increased risk of late-onset gastrointestinal and uterine cancers.
Implications and Future avenues
The findings of this study suggest that accelerating aging in younger populations plays a role in the development of early-onset cancers. This opens a new avenue for cancer prevention, as interventions to slow biological aging could potentially reduce cancer risk. Furthermore, early detection through screening efforts tailored to younger individuals showing signs of accelerated aging could prove highly effective.
However, the limitations of the study should be noted as all participants were from the United Kingdom, which calls for the validation of these findings across diverse populations with different genetic backgrounds, lifestyles, and environmental exposures.
The research conducted at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis was supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
