By Ryan Acosta, Staff Writer

Last year, the whole world was stunned by the sudden outbreak of the H1N1 influenza virus. Governments worldwide imposed quarantines and strict preventive measures to curb possible massive outbreaks. Laboratories rushed to produce vaccines. After vaccines were developed and rolled out of laboratories, hordes of apprehensive people lined up in hospitals and clinics to get swine flu shots.

Humans have a primordial fear of infectious diseases. Indeed, highly contagious diseases like swine flu deserved to be taken seriously. However, there are other diseases that cause far more deaths compared to new infectious diseases like swine flu.

Cancer, for instance, takes about 7.4 million lives per year worldwide, about 13% of all deaths according to the World Health Organization. And the majority of these deaths come from one serious type of cancer: breast cancer.

Incidence of Breast Cancer in the Elderly

Breast cancer is indeed one of the most prevalent forms of cancers in the world. In the US alone, about 191,410 women were diagnosed with breast cancer last 2006. And the majority of these breast cancer patients are elderly women.

Breast cancer may affect young women, but it is more common in the elderly. According to the National Cancer Institute, three out of four women aged 60 years old today may get breast cancer by the time they reach 70. Although the most aggressive forms of breast cancer typically affect younger women, breast cancer is still a very serious disease for the elderly. In fact, breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer deaths in women 65 years old and above.

Treatment

Elderly women with breast cancer can avail of the same treatment available to younger women. Surgery, irradiation, hormonal therapy and use of chemocytotoxic drugs are still the most common form of breast cancer treatments. Treatment generally varies depending on the patient’s breast cancer stage. Sometimes, two or more forms of treatments are prescribed.

The above treatments, however, are not designed to totally prevent or cure breast cancer in the elderly. As with other forms of cancer, there is not yet a definite cure for breast cancer.

A healthy vegetable-and-fruit-based diet along with regular exercise (two and a half hours of physical activity per week) would help in lowering the risks of developing breast cancer in the elderly. Also, limiting alcohol intake and refraining from smoking tobacco would also help minimizing breast cancer risk, especially for post-menopausal women.

On-going Research

As of the moment, there has been no established cause as to why elderly women are much prone to developing breast cancer.

Much of the research that is being conducted right now regarding the development and progression of cancer (including breast cancer) in older women is focused on discovering cellular and molecular mechanisms. For instance, many researchers are focusing on the relationship between cell senescence and cancer.

Despite the current lack of concrete understanding as to the prevalence of breast cancer among elderly women, researchers around the world are doing their best to know more about the relationship between aging and breast cancer.

Time will certainly come when scientists will find the answer that would possibly lead to developments of more effective breast cancer treatments. Help for countless of elderly women suffering from breast cancer will surely come in the future.

References:

American Cancer Society. Breast Cancer Facts and Figures: 2005-2006. 2006. http://www.cancer.org/downloads/stt/caff2005brf.pdf.

Horner MJ, Ries LAG, Krapcho M, Neyman N, Aminou R, Howlader N, Altekruse SF, Feuer EJ, Huang L, Mariotto A, Miller BA, Lewis DR, Eisner MP, Stinchcomb DG, Edwards BK (eds). SEER Cancer Statistics Review, 1975–2006. National Cancer Institute. 2009. http://seer.cancer.gov/csr/1975_2006/results_merged/sect_04_breast.pdf.

Silliman RA, Baeke P. Breast cancer in the Older Woman. In: Balducci L, Ersher WB, Lyman GH. Comprehensive Geriatric Oncology. Amsterdam: Harwood, 1998.

U.S. Cancer Statistics Working Group. United States Cancer Statistics: 1999–2006 Incidence and Mortality Web-based Report. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and National Cancer Institute. 2010.  http://www.cdc.gov/uscs.

World Health Organization. Media Centre: Cancer. 2009. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs297/en.

Posted under: Cancer.

Tags: Breast Cancer in the Elderly

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By Ryan Acosta, Staff Writer

With relatively beyond normal summer temperatures these days, hordes of Americans prefer to spend more time outdoors instead of confining themselves inside their homes. For some, it’s a respite from the artificial coolness of air conditioners and a somewhat good way to avoid incurring astronomical power bills. But for many people, spending time outdoors during summer days is synonymous to feasting on grilled foods.

Flavorful pork kebabs. Succulent grilled burgers. Heavenly mouth-watering sirloin steaks. Who can resist such tempting delights straight out of good old American barbeque pits? Yet those whose who frequently indulge in gastronomic feasts during summer outdoor barbeque parties should now think twice from downing too much red meat delights.

Among other factors, such as, smoking, alcoholism, poor physical activity, and hereditary inclination, frequent consumption of red meat may increase an individual’s chances of developing colon cancer during his later years.

Prevalence of Colon Cancer

With more than 100,000 men and women diagnosed per year, colon cancer is the third most prevalent kind of cancer in the US. Colon cancer’s fatality risk is quite high. About 53,196 individuals die from colon cancer annually, making it the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths across the country.

In contrast with other forms of cancer that have even age distribution, colon cancer primarily occurs in the elderly. As of the latest, the US Department of Health and Services, CDC, and National Cancer Institute estimate that about 70 percent of colon cancer patients are 75 years old or above.

Treatment

When discovered in its early stage, further progression of colon cancer may be prevented. The matter becomes more difficult in the later stages of the disease. Several alternative medicine gurus say that they have the magic herb for advanced stage colon cancer, but that is a blatant lie. There is no panacea for advanced colon cancer as of now.

Removal of affected regions in the colon to prevent cancer cells from further developing and spreading to other organ parts of the body is the prevalent primary colon cancer treatment. Doctors also recommend chemotherapy to reduce tumor size, impeded tumor growth, or to prevent metastasis of cancer cells. While radiotherapy is a common treatment program on other forms of cancer, it is not used much in colon cancer patients. For one thing, it is very complicated to target particular spots in the colon. Also, radiotherapy may cause patients to develop radiation enteritis.

Need for More Research on Colon Cancer Treatment

According to the US Census Bureau, the graying population of America will continue to grow in forthcoming years. In fact, 20% of the US population by the year 2025 will be composed of seniors 65 years and older. Since age is one of the most dominant risk factors of colon cancer, there is a very great need for increased research on discovery of new and more effective colon cancer treatment.

Because of its relatively high mortality rate, scientists are exploring ways to reduce colon cancer mortality. Scientists conducting research for the National Cancer Institute have discovered that Vitamin D may help in reducing colon cancer mortality.

Another particular exciting colon cancer treatment that is being considered is immunotherapy. Researchers are now exploring several vaccines to treat colon cancer or to prevent its recurrence. Such vaccines aim to help patients develop more robust immune systems so that they can fight colon cancer effectively.

Much, however, is needed to be discovered. A single hand cannot do a lot of work. Similarly, scientists who are working hard to find new and more effective colon cancer treatment will not be able to succeed on their own. They need assistance from each and every one of us.

We at Campaign for Aging Research are dedicated to fighting aging. With your kind and selfless help, we can achieve our goal of securing a healthier life for seniors who suffer from colon cancer and other forms of age-associated illnesses.

References:

Chao, A., Thun, M.J., Connell, C.J., et al. Meat Consumption and Risk of Colorectal Cancer. Journal of the American Medical Association. 293.2 (2005): 172–82.

Freedman, D.M., Looker, A.C., Chang, S.C., and Graubard, B.I. Prospective Study of Serum Vitamin D and Cancer Mortality in the United States. Journal of the National Cancer Institute. 99.21 (2007): 1594-602. http://jnci.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/9/21/1594.

Harrop, R., et. al. Vaccination of Colorectal Cancer Patients with Modified Vaccinia Ankara Encoding the Tumor Antigen 5T4 (TroVax) Given Alongside Chemotherapy Induces Potent Immune Responses. Cancer Immunology. 57.7 (2008): 977-986.

National Cancer Institute. SEER Cancer Statistics Review: 1975-2001. 2004. http://seer.cancer.gov/cgibin/csr/1975_2001/search.pl.

United States Census Bureau. Population Projections of the United States, by Age, Sex, Race, and Hispanic Origin: 1993-2050. 1993: 5-1104.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and National Cancer Institute. United States Cancer Statistics: 1999–2006 Incidence and Mortality. 2010. http://www.cdc.gov/uscs.

Posted under: Cancer.

Tags: colon cancer

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By Michelle S. Cotroneo, Ph.D., Scientific Advisor

Approximately 1 out of every 6 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is the most common non-cutaneous malignancy and is second only to lung cancer in deaths due to cancer in American men. Prostate cancer is a disease of aging, with a median age of 79 years (1). Latent prostate cancer, which causes no clinical manifestations, is often found at autopsy by microscopic examination of prostatic tissue. Analysis of autopsy data showed that 15 to 30% of men over the age of 50 had latent prostate cancer, with the incidence increasing to 60-70% by the age of 80 (2,3). In a society where life expectancy has increased, it is important to determine how aging is related to prostate cancer risk.

An important research approach begins at the cellular level. Such studies characterize the interaction between cancerous cells and those that surround them. Senescent cells are those that have lost the ability to divide, and are considered to be “aged”. It is hypothesized that senescent cells may create a permissive or growth-stimulatory environment for cancerous cells. Experimental data have shown that cells immediately surrounding a prostate carcinoma (stromal cells) can cause tumor progression (4). Cellular interactions are mediated by various proteins, including growth factors and enzymes.

In addition to studying interaction between cells, characterizing the relationship between aging and disease often involves examining signaling pathways that occur within cells. One signaling pathway with an important role in both aging and prostate cancer is mediated by the cellular enzyme, mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin), which functions in cellular growth and metabolism. mTOR signaling is frequently increased in prostate and other cancers. Experimental evidence shows that inhibition of this pathway in living organisms prolongs lifespan, a result that is also achieved with calorie restriction (5); therefore, this pathway may play a central role in age-related cancer.

Other theories about how advancing age is a risk factor for certain diseases focus on the role of accumulating damage to DNA. Recent advances in technology are helping researchers conduct large scale genetic association studies to determine gene-disease relationships. Investigators test human DNA samples for the presence of aberrant chromosomal regions, genes, or single nucleotides. Statistical testing is used to determine if a particular variant occurs with higher frequency in samples derived from diseased individuals, compared to those from persons not having the disease. Interestingly, a review of the recent data from such studies has revealed that there are several prostate cancer variants which serve functions in aging-related cellular pathways (6).

Despite the varying approaches of researchers studying age-related diseases, they share a common goal: to develop strategies to treat or prevent disease.

References

1. Yancik R. Cancer J 2005; 11:437-441.

2. Pienta KJ, Esper PS. Ann Intern Med 1993; 118:793-803.

3. Franks LM, Durh MB. Lancet 1956; 17:1037-1039.

4. Olumi AF, Grossfeld GD, Hayward SW, Carroll PR, Tlsty TD, Cunha GR. Cancer Res 1999; 59:5002-5011.

5. Blagosklonny MV. Cancer Biology & Therapy 2008; 7:1520-1524.

6. Cluett C, Melzer D. Mechanisms of Ageing and Development 2009; 130: 553–563.

Posted under: Cancer, Cell Senescence.

Tags: aging, cellular senescence, prostate cancer

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