Accelerated Aging Raises Early-Onset Cancer Risk 8% per S.D. in 154,169 UK Adults
Updated
Updated · Nature.com · Jun 24
Accelerated Aging Raises Early-Onset Cancer Risk 8% per S.D. in 154,169 UK Adults
3 articles · Updated · Nature.com · Jun 24
Summary
154,169 UK Biobank participants showed that each standard-deviation increase in biological age gap was linked to an 8% higher risk of early-onset solid cancers before 55.
The strongest associations were for lung cancer at 57%, gastrointestinal cancers at 17%, and uterine cancer at 31%, with weaker links for cancers diagnosed after 55.
Birth-cohort analysis found people born in 1965-1974 had a 23% higher PhenoAge gap than those born in 1950-1954, suggesting younger generations are aging faster biologically.
10,262 US All of Us participants partly validated the pattern, with each standard-deviation increase in age gap tied to a 22% higher early-onset solid cancer risk.
Proteomics analyses in 19,874 UK participants linked immune aging to early-onset lung cancer and adipose aging to colorectal cancer, pointing to possible organ-specific prevention targets.
If our organs age at different speeds, can we pinpoint our body's 'weakest link' to prevent future cancer?
Is our modern environment creating a generation biologically older and sicker than their parents?
Accelerated Biological Aging and the Global Surge in Early-Onset Cancers: Causes, Measurement, and Prevention
Overview
Early-onset cancers are rising rapidly worldwide, with millions of new cases and deaths each year. This trend is closely linked to accelerated biological aging, meaning that people whose bodies age faster are more likely to develop cancer at a younger age. Biological age, which reflects the true state of a person's health, provides important information for cancer prevention. Research suggests that slowing biological aging through lifestyle changes could be a new way to reduce cancer risk. By focusing on biological age, we can develop better strategies for early detection and prevention, helping to address the growing cancer burden.