WashU Study Links Faster Aging to 15% Higher Early-Onset Cancer Risk
Updated
Updated · Newswise · Jun 22
WashU Study Links Faster Aging to 15% Higher Early-Onset Cancer Risk
3 articles · Updated · Newswise · Jun 22
Summary
More recent birth cohorts showed older biological profiles at the same chronological age, and people with the most advanced systemic aging faced a 15% higher risk of early-onset solid cancers.
154,000-plus UK Biobank participants and more than 10,000 U.S. volunteers showed the same generational pattern, with U.S. adults born in 1990-1999 aging biologically faster than those born in 1965-1969.
An 8% higher early-onset solid cancer risk was tied to increased systemic aging, especially for lung, gastrointestinal and uterine cancers, even after accounting for inherited cancer risk and genetic susceptibility to faster aging.
Organ-level analysis sharpened the signal: older-appearing immune systems were linked to early-onset lung cancer, while older-appearing adipose tissue was linked to early-onset colorectal cancer.
The Nature Medicine study suggests biological-aging measures could help identify younger high-risk people earlier and steer more personalized prevention and screening strategies.
If our organs age at different speeds, can we pinpoint our body's 'weakest link' to prevent future cancer?
Is our modern environment creating a generation biologically older and sicker than their parents?
Accelerated Biological Aging and the Global Surge in Early-Onset Cancers: Causes, Measurement, and Prevention
Overview
Early-onset cancers are rising rapidly worldwide, with millions of new cases and deaths each year. This trend is closely linked to accelerated biological aging, meaning that people whose bodies age faster are more likely to develop cancer at a younger age. Biological age, which reflects the true state of a person's health, provides important information for cancer prevention. Research suggests that slowing biological aging through lifestyle changes could be a new way to reduce cancer risk. By focusing on biological age, we can develop better strategies for early detection and prevention, helping to address the growing cancer burden.