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Published on: September 19, 2025
Cross-talk between aging and cancer: the epigenetic language
Mario F Fraga1, Ruben Agrelo, Manel Esteller
1Epigenetics Laboratory, Spanish National Cancer Centre (CNIO), 28029 Madrid, Spain. mffraga@cnio.es
Cancer risk rises with age due to accumulated molecular lesions in progenitor cells. Epigenetic alterations, like DNA methylation changes, play a key role in aging and cancer development.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
- Oncology
Background:
- Cancer risk increases with age, likely due to accumulated molecular lesions in progenitor cells.
- These lesions can be genetic or epigenetic, with epigenetic alterations significantly impacting normal development, aging, and cancer.
Purpose of the Study:
- To discuss the biological significance of epigenetic modifications during aging and cancer.
- To explore how specific epigenetic changes contribute to cell transformation and proliferation.
Main Methods:
- Review and discussion of existing literature on epigenetic alterations in aging and cancer.
- Analysis of molecular lesions, including DNA methylation, histone modification, and sirtuin activity.
Main Results:
- Epigenetic alterations, such as global hypomethylation and CpG island hypermethylation, accumulate with age and promote cell transformation.
- Certain epigenetic changes, including those regulating telomere length and sirtuin activity, show distinct patterns during aging that are reversed in cancer cells.
Conclusions:
- Epigenetic modifications have a dual role in aging and cancer, with some contributing to transformation while others are reverted in malignant cells.
- Understanding these epigenetic dynamics is crucial for comprehending ontogenic development, senescence, and cell proliferation in the context of cancer risk.
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