Skip to main content

The Science of Neoplasia and Its Relationship to Aging

  • Chapter
Geriatric Medicine

Conclusions

The biologic basis for cancer is clearly multidimensional and complex. This chapter systematically discusses the key elements of the development, progression, and treatment of cancer with a specific focus on the role of aging in these processes. Unfortunately, there is no unifying explanation that describes the essence of cancer. There are, however, many biologic and epidemiologic links to aging. Biologic changes that occur during aging probably increase the likelihood of developing cancer. Age-associated changes also impact significantly on cancer therapeutics. All these areas need more research, but understanding them can help the clinician at the forefront of cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment in an aging population.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 299.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 379.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Campisi J. Aging and cancer: the double-edged sword of replicative senescence. J Am Geriatr Soc. 1997;45:482–488.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Fernandez-Pol JA, Douglas MG. Molecular interactions of cancer and age. Hematol Oncol Clin North Am. 2000; 14:25–44.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Dunn BK, Longo DL. Molecular biology and biological markers. In: Hunter CD, Johnson KA, Muss HB, eds. Cancer in the Elderly. New York: Dekker; 2000.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Kinzler KW, Vogelstein B. Lessons from hereditary colorectal cancer. Cell. 1996;87:159–170.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Dipple A. DNA adducts of chemical carcinogens. Carcinogenesis. 1995;16:437–441.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Murray V. A survey of the sequence-specific interaction of damaging agents with DNA: emphasis on antitumor agents. Prog Nucleic Acid Res Mol Biol. 1999;63:367–415.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Yuspa SH. The pathogenesis of squamous cell cancer: lessons learned from studies of skin carcinogenesis. Thirty-third G.H.A. Clowes Memorial Award Lecture. Cancer Res. 1994;54:1178.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Vessey CJ, Norbury CJ, Hickson ID. Genetic disorders associated with cancer predisposition and genomic instability. Prog Nucleic Acid Res Mol Biol. 1999;63:189–221.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Fearon ER. Human cancer syndromes: clues to the origin and nature of cancer. Science. 1997;278:1043–1050.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Lynch HT, Smyrk TC. Hereditary colorectal cancer. Semin Oncol. 1999;26:478–484.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Wright WE, Shay JW. Telomere dynamics in cancer progression and prevention: fundamental differences in human and mouse telomere biology. Nat Med. 2000;6:849–851.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Buys CH. Telomeres, telomerase, and cancer. N Engl J Med. 2000;342:1282–1283.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Wynford-Thomas D. Replicative senescence: mechanisms and implications for human cancer. Pathol Biol (Paris). 2000; 48:301–307.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Campisi J. Cancer, aging and cellular senescence. In Vivo. 2000;14:183–188.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Vaziri H, Benchimol S. Alternative pathways for the extension of cellular life span: inactivation of p53/pRb and expression of telomerase. Oncogene. 1999;18:7676–7680.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Harley CB, Sherwood SW. Telomerase, checkpoints and cancer. Cancer Surv. 1997;29:263–284.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Smith JR, Pereira-Smith OM. Replicative senescence: implications for in vivo aging and tumor suppression. Science. 1996;273:63–67.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Hayflick L. How and why we age. Exp Gerontol. 1998;33: 639–653.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Bateman AC, Howell WM. Human leukocyte antigens and cancer: is it in our genes? J Pathol. 1999;188:231–236.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Ginaldi L, De Martinis M, D’Ostilio A, et al. The immune system in the elderly: II. Specific cellular immunity. Immunol Res. 1999;20:109–115.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Browning M, Dunnion D. HLA and cancer: implications for cancer immunotherapy and vaccination. Eur J Immunogenet. 1997;24:293–312.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Grisham MB, Jourďheuil D, Wink DA. Review article: chronic inflammation and reactive oxygen and nitrogen metabolism—implications in DNA damage and mutagenesis. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2000;14(suppl 1):3–9.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Tselepis C, Perry I, Jankowski J. Barrett’s esophagus: disregulation of cell cycling and intercellular adhesion in the metaplasia-dysplasia-carcinoma sequence. Digestion. 2000; 61:1–5.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Williams CS, Mann M, DuBois RN. The role of cyclooxygenases in inflammation, cancer, and development. Oncogene. 1999;18:7908–7916.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Blattner WA. Human retroviruses: their role in cancer. Proc Assoc Am Physicians. 1999;111:563–572.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Grady D, Gebretsadik T, Kerlikowske K, Ernster V, Petitti D. Hormone replacement therapy and endometrial cancer risk: a meta-analysis. Obstet Gynecology. 1995;85:304–313.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Cancer CGoHFiB. Breast cancer and hormone replacement therapy: collaborative reanalysis of data from 51 epidemiological studies of 52,705 women with breast cancer and 108,411 women without breast cancer. Lancet. 1997; 350:1047–1059.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Hursting SD, Kari FW. The anti-carcinogenic effects of dietary restriction: mechanisms and future directions. Mutat Res. 1999;443:235–249.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Sherr CJ. Cancer cell cycles. Science. 1996;274:1672–1677.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Nevins JR. E2F: a link between the Rb tumor suppressor protein and viral oncoproteins. Science. 1992;258:424–429.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Hanahan D, Weinberg RA. The hallmarks of cancer. Cell. 2000;100:57–70.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Campbell SL, Khosravi-Far R, Rossman KL, Clark GJ, Der CJ. Increasing complexity of Ras signaling. Oncogene. 1998;17:1395–413.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Lewis TS, Shapiro PS, Ahn NG. Signal transduction through MAP kinase cascades. Adv Cancer Res. 1998;74:49–139.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Morin PJ. Beta-catenin signaling and cancer. Bioessays. 1999;21:1021–1030.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Polakis P. The oncogenic activation of beta-catenin. Curr Opin Genet Dev. 1999;9:15–21.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Zumkeller W, Schofield PN. Growth factors, cytokines and soluble forms of receptor molecules in cancer patients. Anticancer Res. 1995;15:343–348.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Goustin AS, Leof EB, Shipley GD, Moses HL. Growth factors and cancer. Cancer Res. 1986;46:1015–1029.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Pinkas-Kramarski R, Alroy I, Yarden Y. ErbB receptors and EGF-like ligands: cell lineage determination and oncogenesis through combinatorial signaling. J Mamm Gland Biol Neoplasia. 1997;2:97–107.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Gutkind JS. Cell growth control by G protein-coupled receptors: from signal transduction to signal integration. Oncogene. 1998;17:1331–1342.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Sawyers CL, Callahan W, Witte ON. Dominant negative MYC blocks transformation by ABL oncogenes. Cell. 1992; 70:901–910.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Roussel MF, Cleveland JL, Shurtleff SA, Sherr CJ. MYC rescue of a mutant CSF-1 receptor impaired in mitogenic signalling. Nature. 1991;353:361–363.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Sklar MD, Thompson E, Welsh MJ, et al. Depletion of c-myc with specific antisense sequences reverse the transformed phenotype in ras oncogene-transformed NIH 3T3 cells. Mol Cell Biol. 1991;11:3699–3710.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Bhatia K, Huppi K, Spangler G, Siwarski D, Iyer R, Magrath I. Point mutations in the c-Myc transactivation domain are common in Burkitt’s lymphoma and mouse plasmacytomas. Nat Genet. 1993;5:56–61.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Alitalo K, Schwab M. Oncogene amplification in tumor cells. Adv Cancer Res. 1986;47:235–281.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  45. Hollstein M, Sidransky D, Vogelstein B, Harris CC. p53 mutations in human cancers. Science. 1991;253:49–53.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  46. Oliner JD, Kinzler KW, Meltzer PS, George DL, Vogelstein B. Amplification of a gene encoding a p53-associated protein in human sarcomas. Nature. 1992;358:80–83.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  47. Scheffner M, Werness BA, Huibregtse JM, Levine AJ, Howley PM. The E6 oncoprotein encoded by human papillomavirus types 16 and 18 promotes the degradation of p53. Cell. 1990;63:1129–1136.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  48. Reed JC. Dysregulation of apoptosis in cancer. J Clin Oncol. 1999;17:2941–2953.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  49. Wyllie AH, Bellamy CO, Bubb VJ, et al. Apoptosis and carcinogenesis. Br J Cancer. 1999;80(suppl 1):34–37.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  50. Green DR. Apoptotic pathways: paper wraps stone blunts scissors. Cell. 2000;102:1–4.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  51. Liu WS, Heckman CA. The sevenfold way of PKC regulation. Cell Signal. 1998;10:529–542.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  52. Assembly of Life Sciences NRC. Diet, nutrition, and cancer. Executive summary of the report of the committee on diet, nutrition, and cancer. Cancer Res. 1983;43:3018–3023.

    Google Scholar 

  53. Matrisian LM. Cancer biology: extracellular proteinases in malignancy. Curr Biol. 1999;9:R776–R778.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  54. Kleiner DE, Stetler-Stevenson WG. Matrix metalloproteinases and metastasis. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol. 1999;43(suppl):S42–S51.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  55. Johnson LL, Dyer R, Hupe DJ. Matrix metalloproteinases. Curr Opin Chem Biol. 1998;2:466–471.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  56. Leonard DM. Ras farnesyltrasferase: a new therapeutic target. J Med Chem. 1997;40:2971–2990.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  57. Robert J. Multidrug resistance in oncology: diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. Eur J Clin Investig. 1999;29:536–545.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  58. Kaye SB. Multidrug resistance: clinical relevance in solid tumours and strategies for circumvention. Curr Opin Oncol. 1998;10(suppl 1):S15–S19.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  59. Volm M. Multidrug resistance and its reversal. Anticancer Res. 1998;18:2905–2917.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  60. Vestal RE. Aging and pharmacology. Cancer. 1997;80:1302–1310.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  61. Baker SD, Grochow LB. Pharmacology of cancer chemotherapy in the older person. Clin Geriatr Med. 1997; 13:169–183.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  62. Kelloff GJ, Crowell JA, Steele VE, et al. Progress in cancer chemoprevention. Ann NY Acad Sci. 1999;889:1–13.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  63. Singh DK, Lippman SM. Cancer chemoprevention. Part 2: Hormones, nonclassic antioxidant natural agents, NSAIDs, and other agents. Oncology (Huntingt). 1998;12:1787–1800; discussion 1802, 1805.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  64. Singh DK, Lippman SM. Cancer chemoprevention. Part 1: Retinoids and carotenoids and other classic antioxidants. Oncology (Huntingt). 1998;12:1643–1653, 1657–1658; discussion 1659–1660.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  65. Chabner BA, Longo DL. Cancer Chemotherapy and Biotherapy: Principles and Practice, 2nd Ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott-Raven; 1996:824.

    Google Scholar 

  66. Rowinsky EK, Windle JJ, Von Hoff DD. Ras protein farne-syltransferase: a strategic target for anticancer therapeutic development. J Clin Oncol. 1999;17:3631–3652.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  67. Jaffee EM. Immunotherapy of cancer. Ann NY Acad Sci. 1999;886:67–72.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2003 Springer-Verlag New York, Inc.

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Martell, R.E., Cohen, H.J. (2003). The Science of Neoplasia and Its Relationship to Aging. In: Geriatric Medicine. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-387-22621-4_32

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/0-387-22621-4_32

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-387-95514-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-0-387-22621-7

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics