Cancer Survivors Experience Accelerated Aging, New Research Reveals
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A groundbreaking study published in Nature Communications demonstrates that adolescent and young adult cancer survivors age at a faster rate than their peers, with impacts observed at both the cellular level and in cognitive functions like memory and attention.
A new study reveals a concerning trend: young adults who have survived cancer experience accelerated aging, impacting their long-term health and well-being. Researchers at the University of Rochester Wilmot Cancer Institute and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital have identified biological markers indicating a faster aging process in survivors, even decades after treatment completion.
The Biological Clock Ticks Faster
The research, led by investigator AnnaLynn Williams, PhD, and co-corresponding author Kevin Krull, PhD, builds upon data initially presented in 2022 at the American Society of Hematology. The team’s findings confirm that survivors exhibit signs of accelerated aging on a cellular, or biological, level, regardless of whether their cancer treatment directly targeted the brain. Notably, chemotherapy was identified as a key factor in speeding up this process, due to its ability to alter DNA structure and cause widespread tissue and cellular damage.
Researchers discovered a strong correlation between cellular aging and brain function. Individuals with a higher biological age – a measure distinct from chronological age – experienced greater difficulties with memory and attention. This connection highlights the far-reaching consequences of accelerated aging in cancer survivors.
A “Perfect Storm” for Life Challenges
The implications extend beyond physical health. Many cancer survivors are navigating crucial life stages – completing education, building careers, and starting families – and cognitive impairments can significantly hinder these efforts. “It’s kind of like a perfect storm,” Williams explained. “This is why we see many survivors having worse educational and employment outcomes than their siblings.”
The study involved approximately 1,400 patients from the St. Jude study group, all at least five years post-treatment, with a significant proportion having survived acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) or Hodgkin lymphoma.
Hope for Reversal Through Lifestyle Changes
Despite these concerning findings, the research offers a glimmer of hope. Ongoing investigations at Wilmot Cancer Institute suggest that lifestyle interventions may help mitigate the effects of accelerated aging. Williams indicated that adopting healthy habits – such as quitting smoking, exercising regularly, and improving nutrition – could potentially reverse some of the observed changes.
“Young cancer survivors have many more decades of life to live,” Williams stated. “So, if these accelerated aging changes are occurring early on and setting them on a different trajectory, the goal is to intervene to not only increase their lifespan but improve their quality of life.”
Pinpointing the Timing of Intervention
Researchers are now focused on determining the optimal timing for these interventions. A recent pilot study, led by Williams and in collaboration with John Ashton, PhD, MBA, director of the Genomics Shared Resource at Wilmot, analyzed tissue and cell samples from 50 individuals with Hodgkin lymphoma, comparing them to a control group of 50 healthy peers. The goal is to identify when accelerated aging begins – during treatment or in the years following.
Further research is underway at Wilmot, extending these investigations to women with breast cancer and older adults with leukemia, with the overarching aim of reversing age-related decline. Preliminary findings already demonstrate the positive impact of exercise on reversing aging linked to cancer.
This research was funded by the National Cancer Institute. Williams, herself a cancer survivor and an assistant professor in the Department of Surgery, emphasizes the importance of addressing symptom burdens and improving the long-term well-being of cancer survivors through her work within Wilmot’s Cancer Prevention and Control research program.
