Age-Related Hyperglycemia as a Cause of Increased Cancer Incidence

Age-Related Hyperglycemia as a Cause of Increased Cancer Incidence: Why is cancer an age-related condition? One can propose a range of mechanisms: the spread of stochastic DNA damage through cell populations; rising levels of chronic inflammation; ever more senescent cells turning out disruptive, pro-growth signals; the growing inability of the immune system to promptly destroy errant cells. The authors of this open access paper argue that the metabolic dysfunction of later life that leads to raised blood sugar, hyperglycemia, is also an important contributing factor to cancer risk. Most hyperglycemia is self-inflicted via obesity, but it can manifest in other ways as damage and systems failure accumulates in late life.




Aging can increase cancer incidence because of accumulated mutations that initiate cancer and via compromised body control of pre...