Open AccessCancer and Aging - the Inflammatory Connection
Author(s) -
Adar Zinger,
William C. Cho,
Arie BenYehuda
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
aging and disease
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.808
H-Index - 54
ISSN - 2152-5250
DOI - 10.14336/ad.2016.1230
Subject(s) - cancer , senescence , cellular senescence , dna damage , mechanism (biology) , phenotype , function (biology) , inflammation , biology , bioinformatics , neuroscience , cancer research , medicine , immunology , microbiology and biotechnology , dna , genetics , philosophy , epistemology , gene
Aging and cancer are highly correlated biological phenomena. Various cellular processes such as DNA damage responses and cellular senescence that serve as tumor suppressing mechanisms throughout life result in degenerative changes and contribute to the aging phenotype. In turn, aging is considered a pro-tumorigenic state, and constitutes the single most important risk factor for cancer development. However, the causative relations between aging and cancer is not straight forward, as these processes carry contradictory hallmarks; While aging is characterized by tissue degeneration and organ loss of function, cancer is a state of sustained cellular proliferation and gain of new functions. Here, we review the molecular and cellular pathways that stand in the base of aging related cancer. Specifically, we deal with the inflammatory perspective that link these two processes, and suggest possible molecular targets that may be exploited to modify their courses.