Breast cancer survivors age biologically faster than women without cancer: study

By Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, July 21, 2023 (HealthDay News) — Women who have survived breast cancer are aging faster than women who have never had to survive the disease.

The treatment they received had an impact on their rate of aging, according to a new study from the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida.

“Breast cancer survivors have higher rates of various age-related diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, and experience more rapid physical and cognitive decline than women without a history of breast cancer. In this study, we wanted to explore the biology behind this and examine whether certain cancer therapies have a greater long-term impact on survivors,” the study author said. Jacob Kresovitchassistant professor at Moffitt.

Her team used data from the Sister Study, which identified environmental and biological factors that contribute to breast cancer risk and survival.

More than 50,000 women aged 34 to 74 who took part in the study had a sister diagnosed with breast cancer but had not been diagnosed themselves. The women were enrolled in the study between 2003 and 2009 and then contacted annually to provide updates on their health.

The United States has nearly 4 million breast cancer survivors.

Participants provided a blood sample upon registration. Some provided another sample five or ten years later.

Among the 417 patients included in the study, 190 were selected because they were diagnosed and treated for breast cancer between their first and second blood tests.

The researchers analyzed each blood sample using three biological aging parameters: PhenoAgeAccel, GrimAgeAccel and DunedinPACE. These measurements use a natural DNA modification that changes throughout life. The idea is to measure the rate at which a person ages at the molecular level.

According to the report, women who were treated for breast cancer between blood tests had a faster increase in biological aging compared to those who remained cancer-free.

The study found only small differences in aging based on race and the types of tumors the women developed, but this was not true for the type of treatment.

Researchers looked at three types of breast cancer treatments: hormone therapy, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy.

“We found a strong association between faster biological aging and those who received radiation therapy,” Kresovich said in a press release from the cancer center. “We hope these findings will contribute to the conversation about how best to treat and care for breast cancer survivors.”

The results of the study were published on July 19 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. The research was supported by the US National Institutes of Health.

The Susan G. Komen organization has more on the late effects of breast cancer treatment.

SOURCE: Moffitt Cancer Center, press release, July 19, 2023

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