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Therapeutic Massage for Psychological Well-being in Geriatric Oncology
Published on: May 22, 2026
Aging and cancer: current understandings and future perspectives.
Qiucheng Li1, Yau-Tuen Chan1, Junyu Wu1
1School of Chinese Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong S.A.R., PR China.
Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy
|July 7, 2026
Summary
Aging and cancer share common signaling pathways. Targeting these pathways offers strategies to simultaneously slow aging and fight cancer, with potential for drug repurposing.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Aging and cancer incidence are closely linked, presenting a significant challenge in biomedical research.
- Epidemiological data reveal a complex interplay between the aging process and cancer development across different age groups.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically analyze shared signaling pathways in aging and cancer.
- To explore strategies for co-modulating these pathways for simultaneous anti-aging and anti-cancer effects.
- To identify druggable targets and assess therapeutic development for concurrent interventions.
Main Methods:
- Review of epidemiological data on cancer incidence and aging.
- Systematic analysis of four core signaling pathways: nutrient sensing/metabolism, stress response/genome maintenance, inflammation/microenvironment, and sirtuin-mediated modulation.
- Examination of therapeutic strategies, druggable targets, and clinical progress for anti-aging and anti-cancer applications.
Main Results:
- Four key signaling pathways significantly contribute to both aging and cancer.
- Co-modulation strategies include targeting metabolism, enhancing genome integrity, reducing inflammation, clearing senescent cells, and epigenetic reprogramming.
- Aging impacts cancer therapy efficacy, particularly immunotherapy, highlighting the need for integrated approaches.
Conclusions:
- Repurposing anticancer drugs for anti-aging and translating aging research into cancer therapies offer synergistic benefits.
- Targeting shared pathways presents a promising avenue for developing novel therapeutics against both aging and cancer.
- Further research is needed to bridge the disparities in therapeutic development for anti-aging versus anti-cancer applications.
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