A scientific study conducted by American scientists at Stanford University has confirmed that the aging process provides the body with protection against cancer and an unexpected defense against cancerous tumors.
According to experiments conducted on a group of laboratory mice, researchers waited approximately two years until the mice reached old age before performing standardized genetic modifications on lung cells. They found that lung tumors appeared in older mice at a rate almost three times lower than in younger mice, and they also grew significantly more slowly, despite both groups possessing the same cancer-causing gene mutations.
The results showed that tumors appeared frequently and rapidly in younger mice and spread to occupy large areas of lung tissue, while they were less frequent and remained small in older mice. The study also highlighted the role of a gene called PTEN; disabling it led to a rapid increase in cancer growth in young mice, while no significant effect was observed in older mice. The scientific study concluded that some natural age-related changes, such as gene regulation, DNA stability, and immune system functions, may, contrary to expectations, contribute to slowing down tumor development. Despite their known harms, they may, in certain cases, provide a protective factor against cancer development. Understanding these mechanisms may contribute to changing the way cancer research models are built and opening new horizons for treatment.
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