Cancer and Accelerated Aging: Understanding the Connection
Recent research suggests a link between accelerated biological aging and the rise in certain types of cancer among younger adults. This connection sheds light on the complexity of cancer as an “aging disease” that affects not only the elderly but also a younger population.
Aging has long been considered a major risk factor for cancer, with age directly correlating to the likelihood of diagnosis. However, it is now evident that biological age, which encompasses factors such as lifestyle, stress, and genetics, plays a significant role in cancer development.
The study, presented at the American Association of Cancer Research’s annual conference, analyzed the medical records of nearly 150,000 individuals aged 37 to 54. Researchers focused on nine blood-based markers known to reflect biological age, including albumin, creatinine, glucose, c-reactive protein, lymphocyte percent, mean cell volume, red cell distribution width, alkaline phosphatase, and white blood cell counts. By utilizing an algorithm called PhenoAge, the team calculated each person’s biological age and compared it to their chronological age to identify accelerated aging.
- Albumin: a protein that declines with age
- Creatinine: a measure of kidney function; lower levels correlate with better longevity
- Gl
