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The complex interplay between aging and cancer
Lucrezia A Trastus1, Fabrizio d'Adda di Fagagna2,3
1IFOM ETS-the AIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology, Milan, Italy. lucrezia.trastus@ifom.eu.
Nature Aging
|March 4, 2025
Summary
Cancer and aging share complex molecular drivers. This review explores how aging pathways like DNA repair, telomere dysfunction, and immune decline influence cancer development, using animal models to guide future research.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Cancer is a complex disease strongly associated with aging.
- The molecular mechanisms linking cancer and aging are intricate and involve shared pathways.
- Understanding these connections is crucial for developing effective cancer prevention and treatment strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the biological pathways that influence both cancer and aging.
- To highlight the role of animal studies in elucidating these complex interactions.
- To discuss the limitations of current aging models for cancer research.
Main Methods:
- Literature review focusing on evidence from animal studies.
- Analysis of molecular pathways including genome maintenance, DNA mutations, telomere dysfunction, cellular senescence, and immune system aging.
- Evaluation of the utility and limitations of physiological and accelerated aging models.
Main Results:
- Genome maintenance decline and DNA mutations contribute to aging and tumorigenesis.
- Telomere dysfunction and cellular senescence promote genomic instability and inflammation, impacting tumor development.
- An aged immune system and chronic inflammation impair tumor immunosurveillance and exacerbate aging-related damage.
Conclusions:
- Shared molecular pathways link cancer and aging, including DNA damage, senescence, and inflammation.
- Animal models are vital for dissecting these aging-cancer interplays and testing interventions.
- Improving aging models is essential for advancing cancer research and therapeutic translation.
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