Skip to main content

Today's Young Adults Are Aging Faster, and That Might Help Spur Cancers

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on April 8, 2024.

By Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, April 8, 2024 -- Younger generations are aging more rapidly, and this could be leading to an increased risk of cancer, a new study says.

People born in or after 1965 are 17% more likely to be experiencing accelerated aging compared to seniors born between 1950 and 1954, researchers found.

That faster aging is associated with a higher risk of certain cancers among adults younger than 55, also known as early-onset cancers, results show.

“Multiple cancer types are becoming increasingly common among younger adults in the United States and globally,” researcher Ruiyi Tian, a doctoral student at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, said in a news release. “Understanding the factors driving this increase will be key to improve the prevention or early detection of cancers in younger and future generations.”

For this study, researchers analyzed blood data for nearly 149,000 people participating in the U.K. Biobank project.

The team used a set of nine biomarkers found in blood to calculate each person’s biological age, or what age a person appears to be based on the condition of their body.

They then contrasted that to the person’s actual age based on their birth date, as well as any cancers that had occurred among them.

For each single-unit increase in accelerated aging, researcher found an increased risk of:

Accelerated aging also was associated with a 16% increased risk of late-onset GI cancer and a 23% increased risk of late-onset uterine cancer among older adults.

“By examining the relationship between accelerating aging and the risk of early-onset cancers, we provide a fresh perspective on the shared [causes] of early-onset cancers,” Tian said.

“If validated, our findings suggest that interventions to slow biological aging could be a new avenue for cancer prevention, and screening efforts tailored to younger individuals with signs of accelerated aging could help detect cancers early,” she added.

The team next will try to figure out why younger adults are aging at a faster pace, and why that is increasing their cancer risk.

Researchers presented their findings Sunday at a meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research in San Diego. Studies presented at medical meetings should be considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.

Sources

  • American Association for Cancer Research, news release, April 7, 2024

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Posted April 2024

Read this next

Texas Rancher Developed Anthrax From Butchered Lamb Meat

FRIDAY, June 7, 2024 -- Anthrax disease in humans is rare and when it does occur, it's usually during hot, dry summers. That's why the case of a Texas rancher who developed...

Could Brain 'Overgrowth' Contribute to Autism?

FRIDAY, June 7, 2024 -- Severe forms of autism could be linked to overgrowth of the brain’s outer layer that starts while a baby is in the womb, a new study finds. Toddlers...

Patient in Mexico Dies From First Known Human Infection of H5N2 Strain of Bird Flu

THURSDAY, June 6, 2024 -- A 59-year-old person in Mexico is the first human in the world known to be infected with the H5N2 strain of avian flu, and the patient died of...

More news resources

Subscribe to our newsletter

Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.