Cancer and Aging – What Determine Cancer Age Risk ?

The largest single risk factor for developing cancer is age. The incidence of cancer increases exponentially with age, although death from cancer (cancer mortality) may decline at very old age. The inevitable age-dependent rise in cancer incidence is a feature of multicellular organisms that contain a substantial fraction of mitotic cells. Organisms such as flies and worms are composed primarily of post-mitotic cells, and hence do not develop cancer. (more…)




