1 hr ago

Ageing Identified as Leading Cancer Risk Factor, But Not Certainty

As people get older, their bodies change in several ways.

Cells may not be repaired as easily as they were before.

The body may also become less effective at removing abnormal cells.

The immune system can change too.

This may make it harder to find and destroy cells that could become cancerous.

These changes give cancer-causing damage more time to build up.

Older adults therefore have a higher cancer risk than younger people.

However, getting older does not mean that someone will definitely develop cancer.

Key facts

Main risk factor: Ageing
Cell repair: The body’s ability to repair cellular damage can change with age.
Abnormal cells: The body’s ability to eliminate abnormal cells can also change over time.
Immune system: Age-related immune changes may affect the detection and destruction of potentially cancerous cells.
Risk comparison: Older adults have a greater cancer risk than younger people.
Important qualification: Ageing increases the opportunity for cancer-causing changes to accumulate but does not guarantee cancer.

timesnownews.com · 1 hr ago