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Colonic Aging and Colorectal Cancer: An Unignorable Interplay and Its Translational Implications.
Qiyan Yin1, Fen Qin1, Fangliu Gan1
1Center for Life Sciences, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Cell Metabolism and Diseases, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650504, China.
Biology
|July 29, 2025
Summary
Colon aging, not just chronological age, actively drives colorectal cancer (CRC) development. Understanding these aging processes offers new ways to detect, prevent, and treat CRC, especially in older adults.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Oncology
- Aging Research
Background:
- Colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence rises with age, but chronological age is insufficient to explain CRC development.
- Colon aging, the biological aging of colonic tissue, is increasingly recognized as a key driver of CRC.
- Hallmarks of aging, like inflammation and microbiome changes, are specifically implicated in the aging colon's pro-tumorigenic environment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To comprehensively review the interplay between colon aging and CRC pathogenesis.
- To examine how aging hallmarks within the colon create a pro-tumorigenic environment.
- To explore the translational potential of colon aging research for CRC prevention and treatment.
Main Methods:
- Literature synthesis and review of fundamental aging hallmarks.
- Analysis of molecular and cellular changes in the aging colon.
- Examination of the roles of stem cells, epithelial barrier, inflammation, and microbiome in CRC.
Main Results:
- Impaired colonic stem cell function and epithelial barrier disruption contribute to CRC.
- Chronic inflammation (inflammaging) and gut dysbiosis in the aging colon promote tumor development.
- Extracellular matrix remodeling and epigenetic dysregulation in the aging colon foster a pro-tumorigenic microenvironment.
Conclusions:
- Colon aging is a critical, modifiable factor in CRC development.
- Insights into colon aging can lead to novel biomarkers for early detection and risk stratification.
- Targeting aging pathways presents opportunities for personalized CRC prevention and therapy, improving outcomes in aging populations.
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