The Youthful Onset of Cancer and Accelerated Cellular Aging

Recently, at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) annual meeting in San Diego, researchers explored why more young people worldwide are being diagnosed with cancer. According to the American Cancer Society's 2023 report, 20% of cancer patients diagnosed in 2019 were under the age of 55, a figure that has doubled since 1995.

Certain types of cancer, such as colorectal, breast, and gastrointestinal cancers, are showing a trend towards younger onset. Understanding the factors leading to this trend is crucial for future prevention and early detection.

Analyzing Physiological Age through Nine Blood Biomarkers

A research team from Washington University in St. Louis has examined the concept of physiological age, calculated through phenotypic age instead of chronological age, to investigate the link between accelerated aging and early-onset cancer.

The researchers hypothesized that cancers diagnosed in adults under the age of 55 could be classified as "early-onset cancers." They questioned whether accelerated physiological aging might lead to an earlier onset of cancer. Using extensive medical data from the UK Biobank, the team conducted a comparative analysis.

The study involved analyzing the medical records of 148,000 individuals aged 37-54, focusing on nine blood test biomarkers associated with physiological age. These include albumin, creatinine, glucose, C-reactive protein, lymphocyte percentage, hemoglobin A1c, red cell distribution width, alkaline phosphatase, and mean corpuscular volume. By calculating and comparing the participants' chronological and physiological ages, the researchers aimed to determine the presence of accelerated aging and its correlation with cancer history.

Potential Reason of Increasing Cancer Incidence in Youth - Accelerated Aging in the 1965 Cohort by 17%

The findings were striking: individuals born after 1965 showed a 17% higher likelihood of accelerated aging compared to those born between 1950 and 1954. Moreover, those with a higher physiological age were found to have a significantly increased risk of early-onset cancers. These associations were particularly strong for these three types of cancer- lung cancer, gastrointestinal cancer, and uterine cancer.

The study's authors noted, "The lungs may age faster than other organs because their regenerative capacity is limited, and gastrointestinal cancers are often linked to chronic inflammation, which tends to increase with age." However, since the study primarily involved British participants, further research is needed to validate these findings across different genetic backgrounds, lifestyles, and environmental exposures.

In conclusion, while the connection between accelerated physiological aging and the youthful onset of cancer is compelling, further research is necessary to fully understand this relationship and its implications for cancer prevention and early detection strategies.

Reference:

Medical News Today: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/faster-aging-linked-to-early-onset-cancer

Hamilton AC, Donnelly DW, Fitzpatrick D, Coleman HG. Early-Onset Cancers in Adults: A Review of Epidemiology, Supportive Care Needs and Future Research Priorities. Cancers (Basel). 2022 Aug 20;14(16):4021. doi: 10.3390/cancers14164021

Siegel RL , Giaquinto AN , Jemal A . Cancer statistics, 2024. CA Cancer J Clin. 2024; 74(1): 12-49. doi:10.3322/caac.21820