Suppressing Tumors Now May Increase Cancer In Later Years

A new study has shown that the process of cellular senescence may eliminate cancer in younger patients but cause age-related diseases later in life.

When DNA breaks down the cells associated with this DNA can no longer divide. This process is called cellular senescence. When this occurs the spread of diseases such as cancer is halted, however the cells release a protein into the surrounding tissue causing inflammation. It is this inflammation that may make the body more vulnerable to diseases as the patient ages, including cancer.

"We provide for the first time a broad molecular description of how this well known mechanism for cancer prevention drives aging and age-related disease by changing the local tissue environment," said Judith Campisi, PhD, lead author of the study, who is a Faculty Member of the Buck Institute for Age Research and also Senior Scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

The study has proven that during cellular senescence proteins are released which change the "tissue microenvironment" in both laboratory trials and chemotherapy patients. Furthermore, the study shows that certain proteins such as Ras can promote the growth of pre-cancerous cells in nearby tissue.

"This study defines a new paradigm for how oncogenes promote, and how tumor suppressor genes suppress the development of cancer," said Campisi. "The established role for these genes is to control the cell itself. Our findings show that both types of genes also strongly change the tissue microenvironment, and therefore control cancer by mechanisms that depend not only on the response of the affected cells themselves, but also on the response of neighboring cells, or the local tissue environment."

Campisi also believes this study explains why patients feel ill when receiving chemo treatments. "Chemotherapy is brutal -- both normal and cancerous cells are forced into senescence, with resulting secretion of inflammatory factors that can produce flu-like symptoms during treatment," Campisi said.

Although Campisi stresses that chemotherapy can cure cancer she believes younger patients should proceed with caution. She also feels research should further explore ways to rid the body of senescent cells.

"That's got to be the goal," said Campisi. "Although senescent cells exist for the good purpose of preventing cancer, we don't want them to hang around - we want the body to be able to get rid of them."

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