A multinational team led at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, as part of Team PROSPECT within Cancer Grand Challenges, analysed large population cohorts to compare biological aging across generations. They used data from more than 154,000 UK Biobank participants and over 10,000 people in the U.S. All of Us Research Program. Early-onset cancers were defined as diagnoses at age 55 or younger.
Researchers estimated an "age gap" — biological age minus chronological age — at two scales: systemic aging across the whole body and organ-specific aging for particular systems. Systemic measures included PhenoAge, the Klemera-Doubal Method and a metabolomic age score. PhenoAge uses nine blood biochemistry markers such as albumin and creatinine. Organ-specific estimates came from blood proteomic data to infer the apparent age of individual organs or systems.
The team found clear generational shifts: in the UK, people born 1965–1974 showed systemic aging about 23% of one standard deviation higher than those born 1950–1954, while in the U.S. those born 1990–1999 were about 92% of one standard deviation higher than people born 1965–1969. Increased systemic aging was associated with an 8% higher risk of early-onset solid cancers, and people with the most advanced systemic aging had a 15% higher risk compared with those with the least advanced aging.
The study also connected organ-specific aging to cancer types: advanced immune system aging related to early-onset lung cancer, and advanced adipose (fat) tissue aging related to early-onset colorectal cancer. The authors say the results could help identify individuals at higher risk and guide prevention and early detection. "Our ultimate goal is to decode how modern environments become biologically embedded to drive cancer risk, transforming prevention from broad recommendations to personalized interventions," says Yin Cao. David Scott noted that studies on this scale help piece together why early-onset cancers are rising. The research received support from Cancer Grand Challenges, Cancer Research UK, the National Cancer Institute, the French National Cancer Institute, the Bowelbabe Fund and several NIH grants.
Difficult words
- cohort — group of people studied over a periodcohorts
- biological age — age estimated from body measures or biomarkers
- chronological age — actual age measured from birth date
- systemic — affecting the whole body or all systems
- organ-specific — related to a particular organ or body system
- metabolomic — relating to small molecule metabolites in blood
- adipose — body tissue that stores fat
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- How could measuring organ-specific aging help doctors with cancer prevention or early detection? Give reasons from the article.
- What challenges might arise when using biological aging measures to give personalised prevention advice to individuals?
- The authors mention modern environments becoming "biologically embedded." What environmental factors do you think could contribute to faster biological aging, and why?
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