Cancer and its treatment may accelerate the aging process in young
patients

Date:
August 24, 2020
Source:
Wiley
Summary:
A new study examines the effects of cancer and its treatment on
the aging process. Investigators found that expression of a gene
associated with aging is higher in young patients with cancer
after treatment with chemotherapy and in young cancer survivors
who are frail.



FULL STORY ==========================================================================
A new study examines the effects of cancer and its treatment on the
aging process. Investigators found that expression of a gene associated
with aging is higher in young patients with cancer after treatment with chemotherapy and in young cancer survivors who are frail. The findings
are published early online in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the
American Cancer Society (ACS).


========================================================================== Previous research has shown that a protein called p16INK4a, which
slows cell division, is produced at higher levels by cells as a person
ages. Using expression of the gene that codes for p16INK4a as a marker of
age, Andrew Smitherman, MD, MSc, of the University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill's Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, and his colleagues examined immune cells circulating in the blood of young adult survivors
of childhood cancers and of children and adolescents newly diagnosed
with cancer.

The team first analyzed cells from 60 survivors and compared them
with cells from 29 age-matched individuals without a history of
cancer. Expression of the gene that codes for p16INK4a was higher in
survivors than in controls, representing a 25-year age acceleration. Nine survivors were frail, and they had a higher level of expression
compared with survivors who were not frail, representing a 35-year age acceleration.

The researchers also found that in the nine children and adolescents
in the study who had a new diagnosis of cancer, expression was higher
after treatment with chemotherapy than before treatment.

"Higher expression of p16INK4a in peripheral blood lymphocytes has been described in older adults following chemotherapy, but prior to this
study, not in young adult survivors," said Dr. Smitherman. "This study is important as we try to understand the biological mechanisms underlying
the manifestations of early aging in this population." Dr. Smitherman
noted that elevated p16INK4a expression as a marker of aging may help
identify cancer survivors at risk for developing frailty and functional disability. "Additionally, expression of p16INK4a may prove useful as a
measure to study treatments aimed at mitigating the early aging effects
of cancer treatment," he said.


========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by Wiley. Note: Content may be edited
for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Andrew B. Smitherman, William A. Wood, Natalia Mitin, Vanessa
L. Ayer
Miller, Allison M. Deal, Ian J. Davis, Julie Blatt, Stuart H. Gold,
Hyman B. Muss. Accelerated aging among childhood, adolescent, and
young adult cancer survivors is evidenced by increased expression
of p16INK4a and frailty. Cancer, 2020; DOI: 10.1002/cncr.33112 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200824092015.htm

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