Key points from article :
Age is the most significant risk factor for cancer, surpassing even smoking. A recent meeting organized by Cancer Research UK, chaired by Lynne Cox and Walid Khaled, explored whether insights from ageing research could help prevent cancer. The British Society for Research on Ageing (BSRA) was represented at the event, highlighting the potential for ageing research to contribute to cancer prevention. However, there are major challenges, including the need to clearly define prevention goals and the complexities of developing pharmaceutical interventions that slow ageing. Clinical trials for such drugs would require large, long-term studies and an extremely high safety profile, given that they would be administered to healthy individuals.
A promising approach could be modelled on cardiovascular disease prevention, where biomarkers such as cholesterol levels help guide treatment before disease develops. If researchers can identify reliable biomarkers for cancer risk, targeted interventions could be developed. For instance, lung cancer screenings frequently detect precancerous lesions, but no preventive treatments currently exist. Understanding how ageing-related immune dysfunction contributes to cancer is another key focus, with studies showing that senescent immune cells, such as macrophages, may play a role in cancer progression. Identifying safe ways to target these ageing cells could open new doors for prevention.
The workshop emphasized the need for collaboration between ageing researchers and disease-focused organizations to turn these ideas into reality. The BSRA is actively engaging with medical charities to advance preventative ageing research, aiming to help people live longer, healthier lives. Funding opportunities, such as Cancer Research UK’s Biology to Prevention Award, may support efforts to bridge the gap between ageing science and cancer prevention.
