Cancer in aging refers to the strong, well-documented association between advancing chronological age and the rising incidence of malignant disease, with most cancers occurring disproportionately in older adults. Aging is the single largest risk factor for the majority of solid tumors and many hematologic malignanci…
Cancer in aging refers to the strong, well-documented association between advancing chronological age and the rising incidence of malignant disease, with most cancers occurring disproportionately in older adults. Aging is the single largest risk factor for the majority of solid tumors and many hematologic malignancies, reflecting both prolonged exposure to carcinogens and the progressive deterioration of cellular and systemic protective mechanisms. At the molecular level, the elevated cancer burden in older populations arises from the accumulation of somatic mutations and epigenetic alterations, increasing genomic instability, telomere attrition, and the build-up of senescent cells whose secretory phenotype can promote a pro-tumorigenic tissue environment. Concurrent immunosenescence weakens tumor surveillance, while chronic low-grade inflammation, often termed inflammaging, further supports neoplastic initiation and progression. These intersecting hallmarks of aging and cancer help explain why the two processes are biologically linked rather than merely coincident. Clinically, the field of geriatric oncology addresses the distinct challenges of diagnosing and treating cancer in older patients, including coexisting comorbidities, polypharmacy, reduced physiological reserve, altered tolerance to surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and the need to balance treatment intensity against quality of life and individual goals of care.
11 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.
The 11 articles above have been cited 22 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.
A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Cancer in Aging, linking to each citing work.