THE ESSENTIAL
- Adolescents and young adults who have survived cancer age faster than others.
- They also have a higher risk of dementia.
- For researchers, it is important to take good care of them and monitor them to limit the impact of the disease in the long term.
Dealing with cancer at a young age is extremely difficult… and it impacts patients for many years. A study from the University of Rochester shows that adolescent and young adult survivors of pediatric cancer have premature aging and an increased risk of cognitive decline.
The results were published in the journal Nature Communications.
Biological age, brain: faster aging for young cancer survivors
The team followed around 1,400 patients who were treated for cancer in their youth for at least five years. The majority of them had had acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) or Hodgkin lymphoma. Analysis of their medical records shows that cancer survivors aged more quickly at the cellular level, regardless of the treatment they received as children. And this, even if their treatment was not directed towards the brain. “In fact, the results showed that chemotherapy, which can change DNA structure and extensively damage tissues and cells, accelerates aging most rapidly”explain the authors in their press release.
Furthermore, this cellular aging has been shown to be closely linked to brain function. Thus, survivors with higher biological age had the greatest memory and attention problems.
Intervene early to improve quality of life
“Young cancer survivors still have many decades to live”explains AnnaLynn Williams who led the study. “So if these accelerated aging changes occur early and put them on a different trajectory, the goal is to intervene not only to increase their lifespan, but also to improve their quality of life.”
Thus, the scientist and her colleagues call for improving the monitoring of young patients who have been treated with radiotherapy, especially if the target was the brain. “The goal is to prevent any deficit from getting worse.”
