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Measurement of Lifespan in Drosophila melanogaster
Published on: January 7, 2013
Cancer mortality at very old ages
1Department of Pathology, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, Illinois 60611-3008, USA.
Cancer
|April 1, 1996
Summary
Cancer mortality rates peak in individuals aged 80-100 and decline thereafter. Survivors nearing 100 are resistant to common causes of death, including cancer, possibly due to genetic factors.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Oncology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Cancer mortality generally increases with age throughout most of the human lifespan.
- Previous research has not detailed cancer mortality trends in individuals aged 85 and older.
- This study analyzes cancer mortality in distinct age groups beyond 85 years.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe age-specific cancer mortality rates near the end of the human lifespan.
- To investigate cancer mortality patterns in individuals aged 85 years and older.
- To compare cancer mortality trends across different advanced age groups.
Main Methods:
- Utilized United States vital statistics and Census data from 1990.
- Calculated age-stratified mortality rates for all malignant neoplasms combined.
- Analyzed mortality rates for specific cancer sites in 5-year age groups from 50 to over 100 years.
Main Results:
- Mortality rates for most cancers and all malignant neoplasms combined peak between ages 80 and 100 years.
- Rates decline in individuals older than 100 years.
- The proportion of cancer deaths among all deaths decreases significantly with extreme age, from 40% (ages 50-69) to 4% (over 100).
Conclusions:
- Individuals surviving to advanced ages (approaching 100) exhibit resistance to common causes of mortality, including cancer.
- This resistance may be linked to genetic factors influencing cancer pathogenesis.
- Extreme longevity is associated with a reduced susceptibility to cancer as a cause of death.
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