Related Experiment Videos
Cancer incidence in old age
O Miyaishi1, F Ando, K Matsuzawa
1Department of Basic Gerontology, National Institute for Longevity Sciences, 36-3 Gengo, Obu 474-8522, Morioka, Japan. miyaishi@nils.go.jp
Mechanisms of Ageing and Development
|August 26, 2000
Summary
Cancer incidence in the very old, including centenarians, does not significantly increase. Older individuals show lower metastasis and cancer-related death rates, suggesting potential age-related resistance.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Oncology
- Pathology
Background:
- Cancer incidence generally rises with age, but its prevalence in extreme old age remains unclear.
- Understanding cancer in centenarians is crucial for insights into human aging and disease resistance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the true incidence and characteristics of cancer in individuals aged 90 and older, with a focus on centenarians.
- To analyze age-specific trends in cancer metastasis and mortality at advanced ages.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of autopsy records from the Annual of the Pathological Autopsy Cases in Japan (1991-1996).
- Individual examination of cases over 90 years old for detailed analysis.
- Comparison of cancer incidence, metastatic rates, and mortality across different age groups, particularly centenarians versus those aged 90-94.
Main Results:
- Cancer incidence peaked in the 6th decade and multiple cancer diagnoses in the 8th decade.
- Cancer incidence showed no significant decrease in 5-year intervals for individuals over 90.
- Centenarians exhibited approximately 75% of the metastatic rate and 67% of the cancer-related mortality rate compared to those aged 90-94.
Conclusions:
- The reduced metastatic ratio and mortality from cancer at the oldest ages may be attributed to the intrinsic nature of cancer.
- The lack of increased cancer incidence in the oldest age groups suggests the presence of inherent resistance mechanisms in some elderly individuals.