A recent study conducted by scientists at Stanford University has shown that advancing age may offer the body a form of protection against developing cancer.
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According to Nature Aging, experiments on laboratory mice revealed that lung tumors appeared in older mice at nearly one-third the rate seen in younger mice, and that tumor growth was significantly slower, despite both groups having the same cancer-related genetic mutations.
Researchers waited about two years—until the mice reached old age—before introducing identical genetic modifications into lung cells. They found that tumors appeared frequently and rapidly in young mice, spreading across large portions of lung tissue, while older mice developed fewer tumors that remained small.
Scientists suggest that certain natural age-related changes—such as gene regulation, DNA stability, and immune system function—may unexpectedly help slow the emergence of tumors. The study also highlighted the role of the PTEN gene: its inactivation led to rapid cancer growth in young mice but had no noticeable effect in older ones.
The findings indicate that aging, despite its well-known drawbacks, may in some cases offer a protective factor against cancer development. Understanding these mechanisms could reshape how cancer research models are built and open new avenues for treatment. Lenta.ru
