Table of Contents
Old Age And Cancer
Aging has been often linked with increased incidence of cancer. The commonly accepted theory is that with age cell multiplication becomes less efficient and becomes prone to errors. Such errors increase chances of aged cells developing mutations leading to activation of oncogenes that can cause cancer. The same theory also says that, with aging, immune system becomes weak and is not able to eliminate cells that have developed such cancer causing mutations. If this is true then the incidence of cancer should rise in a linear fashion with age. If this theory is correct, the prevalence of cancer should be directly proportional to age.
Is that so? Let’s look at the data.
The “Inverted U” shaped Relationship of Age with Cancer
In 1997, Italian scientists analyzed a group of 507 autopsies of elderly dead bodies. They divided these dead bodies in three age groups, 75 to 90 years, 95 to 99 years, and over 99 years. For the first group (75 to 90 years) the prevalence of cancer was 35%, for the second group (95 to 99 years) it was 20%, and for the third group (>99 years) it was 16%. 25% of the patients in the first group (75 to 90 years) died from cancer but only 9.5% of the people in the second group (95 to 99 years) and 7.1% in the third group (>99 years) died from cancer. The prevalence of metastases was 63% for tumors occurring in persons aged 75 to 90 years, 32% in persons aged 95 to 99 years, and 29% in persons aged >99 years. So, this study shows that after the age of 75 years, chances of cancer keeps declining with age.
Similarly, in 2000, Dutch scientists conducted a study to evaluate cancer incidence and mortality rates among the very elderly in the Netherlands. Results showed that the annual incidence rate for all cancer sites combined reached a peak at the age of 85 years and decreased thereafter.
In their analyses, these Dutch scientists found that over the period 1991-1995, 42% of deaths in men aged 55-64 years were attributed to cancer versus 52% of deaths in women (total population); these proportions in the 95+ years age group were 11% and 7%, respectively. The conclusion was clear- cancer as a cause of death became less prominent with increasing age.
Thus cancer has a nearly “inverted U” shaped relationship with age- initially the incidence rises with age, then it starts declining after around 80- 85 years age.
Our Current Understanding of Cancer Might Be Inaccurate
So, the available data does not match the current theory regarding what causes cancer. Current theory insists that aging causes our cellular mechanisms and immune system to work inefficiently. This inefficiency predisposed our cells to acquire mutations that can activate oncogenes, thus causing cancer. But if this theory was true then we would have seen a linearly rising graph. But we are actually seeing nearly an “inverted U” shaped graph. This is because the current theory might be incorrect.
Activation of oncogenes is not an aberration. It happens all the time in our body. Without activation of oncogenes, no wound will ever heal. Without activation of oncogenes no child can grow inside a mother’s womb. Without oncogenes, nothing can grow! Activation of oncogenes are dependent of certain cellular signals. When these signals go on, oncogenes get activated and the cells bearing these activated oncogenes multiply. When these signals stop, oncogenes become deactivated and the respective cells stop multiplying.
But if these cellular signals fail to switch off, oncogenes will continue remain activated and cells will keep growing. And this is what cancer is. Cancer is a result of normal wound healing process that has gone out of control. I have discussed this mechanism in a detailed way in another article which can be found in the following link. If you understand this mechanism, the mystery of cancer’s “inverted U” shaped graph is no longer a mystery. With age our body keeps getting wounded more and more due to the accumulation of injuries, inflammations, infections, toxins, and cell aging. With age, the wound healing ability also keeps decreasing due to cellular aging. As wound healing keeps getting inefficient, chances of non-stop signals continuously activating oncogenes keep rising (Click HERE to understand this part) . Thus, chances of cancer increases with age. But, at very old age, wound healing ability is nearly exhausted. Instead of now generating excessive signals, suddenly all signals are sluggish and minimal. These signals now can hardly activate oncogenes. And so, you see drop in incidence of cancer after the age of around 80-85 years.
Concluding Remarks
Aging does predispose us to Cancer. But at extreme ages, chances of developing cancer goes down. This is because cancer is a result of a normal wound healing process that just goes berserk and doesn’t stop. With age healing process can become aberrant and spark cancer. However, when aging is extreme (after around 80- 85 years age), wound healing process itself becomes too feeble to cause any cancer, leading to drop in cancer occurrence.
May we activate the wound healing process for extended age to avoid high signaling..
Thanks for your comment. Can you please elaborate?
Greetings! Very useful advice in this particular post! Its the little changes that will make the most significant changes. Thanks for sharing!
It’s amazing tto go tto see thus weeb age annd readinng the vjews oof alll mates cocerning tis paragraph, whipe
I aam also eater off getting know-how.
Thank you!
Respect to author, some excellent entropy.
Thank you!
What a stuff of un-ambiguity annd preservgeness of precious know-how about unpredicted feelings.
Hello. impressive job. I did not anticipate this. This is a impressive story. Thanks!
This is a very good tips especially to those new to blogosphere, brief and accurate information… Thanks for sharing this one. A must read article.
you are really a good webmaster. The web site loading speed is amazing. It seems that you are doing any unique trick. Also, The contents are masterwork. you’ve done a wonderful job on this topic!
Good write-up, I’m regular visitor of one’s web site, maintain up the excellent operate, and It is going to be a regular visitor for a lengthy time.
Thank you- glad you liked this article!
fantastic points altogether, you simply gained a new reader. What could you suggest in regards to your post that you simply made some days ago? Any sure?
Thank you- I am really glad that you liked reading this post!
I agree with your point of view, your article has given me a lot of help and benefited me a lot. Thanks. Hope you continue to write such excellent articles.
Reading your article has greatly helped me, and I agree with you. But I still have some questions. Can you help me? I will pay attention to your answer. thank you.
Thanks a lot for the blog post.Really thank you! Cool.
Hello there! I simply wish to give you a huge thumbs up for the great information you have here on this post. I will be coming back to your blog for more soon.
Thanks for sharing. I read many of your blog posts, cool, your blog is very good. https://accounts.binance.com/sk/register-person?ref=IJFGOAID
Very good blog.Really looking forward to read more. Really Cool.
Very good blog.Thanks Again.
Im obliged for the article post. Want more.
Im thankful for the blog article.Much thanks again. Really Great.
Appreciate you sharing, great blog.Really thank you! Cool.
Usually I do not learn post on blogs, but I wish to say that this write-up very pressured me to take a look at and do so! Your writing taste has been surprised me. Thank you, quite nice article.
Appreciate you sharing, great blog post.Thanks Again. Really Cool.
Very neat blog post.Really thank you! Cool.
Thanks so much for the post.Thanks Again. Fantastic.
Im grateful for the article post.Much thanks again. Awesome.
Thanks a lot for the blog post.Thanks Again. Cool.
Im obliged for the article.Thanks Again. Want more.
Wow, great blog.Really looking forward to read more. Will read on…
Im obliged for the article.Much thanks again. Much obliged.
Major thankies for the post.Really thank you! Really Cool.
Thank you for your blog article.Much thanks again. Will read on…
I cannot thank you enough for the post.Much thanks again.
Very informative blog article.Really looking forward to read more. Really Great.
Really appreciate you sharing this article.Really looking forward to read more.
Thanks for sharing, this is a fantastic blog.Really thank you! Much obliged.
Major thankies for the post. Cool.
Awesome blog.Really looking forward to read more. Great.
Thank you ever so for you blog.
Appreciate you sharing, great post. Fantastic.
It is actually a nice and helpful piece of information. I?¦m happy that you simply shared this useful information with us. Please stay us up to date like this. Thank you for sharing.
Hi, I do think this is an excellent blog. I stumbledupon it 😉 I’m going to return once again since I book marked it. Money and freedom is the best way to change, may you be rich and continue to guide others.
wow, awesome article post. Really Cool.
Enjoyed every bit of your blog.Thanks Again. Keep writing.
Really informative blog.Thanks Again. Will read on…
Very good post.Much thanks again. Want more.
Really appreciate you sharing this post.
Great, thanks for sharing this article.Much thanks again. Awesome.
I appreciate you sharing this article post. Cool.
Wow, great post.Really looking forward to read more. Fantastic.
Great, thanks for sharing this blog.Much thanks again. Fantastic.
Fantastic blog. Cool.
Really appreciate you sharing this article post. Awesome.
Thanks-a-mundo for the post.Much thanks again. Fantastic.
Really enjoyed this blog.Thanks Again. Really Cool.
Great blog article.Thanks Again. Much obliged.
Say, you got a nice blog.Much thanks again. Want more.
A round of applause for your blog. Will read on…
Hey, thanks for the blog article.Much thanks again. Awesome.
I truly appreciate this blog article.Really looking forward to read more. Cool.
Itís difficult to find experienced people about this subject, however, you seem like you know what youíre talking about! Thanks
Very neat blog post. Fantastic.
Great, thanks for sharing this blog article.Really thank you! Great.
It’s hard to come by knowledgeable people about this topic, but you seem like you know what you’re talking about! Thanks
Looking forward to reading more. Great blog.Thanks Again. Great.
I appreciate you sharing this article post.Really looking forward to read more. Fantastic.
I appreciate you sharing this blog article.Really thank you! Will read on…
Great post.Really thank you! Really Great.
Im thankful for the article post.Really looking forward to read more. Awesome.
Major thanks for the article post.Much thanks again. Will read on…
Thanks a lot for the blog.Thanks Again. Cool.
Hey, thanks for the blog post. Keep writing.
Thanks for sharing, this is a fantastic blog article.Thanks Again. Keep writing.
I am so grateful for your article post.Much thanks again. Keep writing.
Wow, great article.Much thanks again. Want more.
Thanks-a-mundo for the article.Really looking forward to read more. Fantastic.
Very neat article. Keep writing.
Major thankies for the article post.Thanks Again. Fantastic.
Im obliged for the post.Really looking forward to read more.
Looking forward to reading more. Great blog article. Cool.
I value the blog. Want more.
I appreciate you sharing this article post.Really thank you! Great.
A round of applause for your article.Really looking forward to read more. Keep writing.
Thanks so much for the post.Really looking forward to read more. Great.
Thank you for your article post.Really looking forward to read more. Keep writing.
I do consider all of the concepts you’ve offered in your post. They are really convincing and can definitely work. Still, the posts are too quick for newbies. May just you please extend them a little from subsequent time? Thanks for the post.
Very good blog article.Thanks Again. Great.
Say, you got a nice blog post.
I cannot thank you enough for the blog article.Much thanks again. Keep writing.
Fantastic blog article.Much thanks again. Will read on…
Thank you ever so for you blog.Really thank you! Keep writing.
Awesome post. Really Cool.
A big thank you for your blog.Really thank you! Will read on…
wow, awesome blog article. Great.
Great, thanks for sharing this blog post.Really thank you! Really Great.
A round of applause for your article post.Thanks Again. Really Cool.
Major thanks for the article.Thanks Again. Fantastic.
I am so grateful for your post.Thanks Again. Cool.
Say, you got a nice blog post.Thanks Again. Keep writing.
Thanks-a-mundo for the post.Much thanks again. Really Cool.
It’s actually a cool and helpful piece of info. I’m happy thatyou just shared this useful information with us. Please stay us up to date like this.Thank you for sharing.
I am so grateful for your blog post. Will read on…
Amazing issues here. I’m very happy to look your post. Thanks a lot and I’m looking ahead to contact you.Will you kindly drop me a mail?
wow, awesome post.Much thanks again. Much obliged.
Pretty! This has been an incredibly wonderful post.Many thanks for providing this information.
Thanks for the post.Much thanks again. Keep writing.
It’s hard to come by experienced people in this particular subject, but you seem like you know what you’re talking about! Thanks
I really liked your blog post.Really looking forward to read more. Want more.
Hello, always i used to check blog posts here in the early hours in the break of day, since i enjoy to learn more and more.
Thank you for your blog.Really looking forward to read more. Really Great.
Hey There. I found your blog using msn. This is an extremely wellwritten article. I will be sure to bookmark it and come backto read more of your useful info. Thanks for the post.I’ll certainly comeback.
Your style is really unique compared to other folks I have read stuff from. Thank you for posting when you’ve got the opportunity, Guess I will just book mark this blog.
I really liked your article post. Want more.
It seems that if you try for a long time, even the most complex idea can be revealed in such detail.
My family members all the time say that I am killing my time here at net, but I know I am getting familiarity everyday by reading thes good posts.
I am so grateful for your blog post.Really looking forward to read more. Great.
Major thankies for the blog article.Really looking forward to read more. Fantastic.
Im obliged for the blog article.Much thanks again. Awesome.
Excellent blog you’ve got here.. Itís difficult to find quality writing like yours these days. I seriously appreciate people like you! Take care!!
Hi! I’ve been reading your blog for some time now and finally got the bravery to go ahead and give you a shout out from Dallas Texas!Just wanted to mention keep up the good work!
I think this is a real great article.Much thanks again. Keep writing.
Major thankies for the article post.Thanks Again. Want more.
I value the blog post.Really thank you! Will read on…
Thanks a lot for the article. Really Cool.
I really enjoy the blog article.Thanks Again. Fantastic.
A big thank you for your article.Really looking forward to read more. Keep writing.
Amazing issues here. I am very happy to look your post.Thanks so much and I am taking a look forward to contactyou. Will you please drop me a e-mail?
Remarkable! Its truly remarkable piece of writing, I have got much clearidea about from this article.
Really enjoyed this article. Really Great.
Fantastic post.Really looking forward to read more. Great.
I loved your article post.Really thank you! Want more.
I loved your article.Much thanks again. Fantastic.
This is one awesome blog.Really looking forward to read more. Fantastic.
I enjoy, lead to I found just what I was taking a look for. You’ve ended my 4 day long hunt! God Bless you man. Have a nice day. Bye
Aw, this was an extremely nice post. Taking the time and actual effort togenerate a top notch article… but what can I say… I put things off awhole lot and never seem to get nearly anything done.
It’s actually a nice and useful piece of information. I am glad that you shared this useful info with us. Please keep us informed like this. Thanks for sharing.
Great article and right to the point. I don’t know if this is in fact the best place to ask but do you folks have any ideea where to hire some professional writers? Thank you 🙂
I?ve read several good stuff here. Definitely worth bookmarking for revisiting. I surprise how much effort you put to create such a wonderful informative site.
I truly appreciate this post.Much thanks again. Really Great.
I will immediately snatch your rss as I can not in finding your e-mail subscription hyperlink or e-newsletter service.Do you have any? Please permit me understand so that Imay just subscribe. Thanks.
Aw, this was an exceptionally good post. Taking a few minutes and actual effort to make a top notch article… but what can I say… I hesitate a whole lot and don’t manage to get nearly anything done.
I like the valuable information you provide in your articles.I will bookmark your blog and check again here regularly.I am quite sure I’ll learn a lot of new stuff right here!Good luck for the next!
Very good written information. It will be useful to everyone who utilizes it, as well as yours truly:). Keep up the good work – i will definitely read more posts.My blog post: care routine
Thanks-a-mundo for the article post.Thanks Again. Fantastic.
Thanks a lot for the article. Really Great.
Great write-up, I¡¦m regular visitor of one¡¦s blog, maintain up the excellent operate, and It is going to be a regular visitor for a lengthy time.
Insightful piece
I really liked your article post.Really looking forward to read more. Cool.
Hi! I could have sworn Iíve been to this blog before but after browsing through a few of the posts I realized itís new to me. Anyways, Iím definitely delighted I discovered it and Iíll be bookmarking it and checking back regularly!