Health
Cancer rates rising in young people due to ‘accelerated aging,’ new study finds: ‘Highly troubling’
Accelerated aging — when someone’s biological age is greater than their chronological age — could increase the risk of cancer tumors.
That’s according to new research presented this week at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting in San Diego, California.
“Historically, both cancer and aging have been viewed primarily as concerns for older populations,” Ruiyi Tian, MPH, a graduate student at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and one of the study researchers, told Fox News Digital.
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“The realization that cancer, and now aging, are becoming significant issues for younger demographics over the past decades was unexpected.”
In the study, diagnoses in patients younger than 55 years old were considered early-onset cancers.
The new study found that those with a higher biological age had a 42% increased risk of early-onset lung cancer, were 22% more prone to early-onset gastrointestinal cancer — and had a 36% higher risk for early-onset uterine cancer. (iStock)
The researchers analyzed data from 148,724 people using the UK Biobank database.
They estimated each person’s biological age using nine biomarkers in the blood — then compared that to their chronological age.
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Those with a higher biological age had a 42% increased risk of early-onset lung cancer, were 22% more prone to early-onset gastrointestinal cancer, and had a 36% higher risk for early-onset uterine cancer.
The researchers also determined that people born after 1965 were 17% more likely to experience accelerated aging than those born in earlier decades.
Diagnoses in patients younger than 55 years old were considered early-onset cancers. The hope is that the new findings will lead to interventions to slow biological aging as a “new avenue for cancer prevention,” the researchers said. (iStock)
“The principal findings highlight that accelerated aging is increasingly prevalent among successive birth cohorts, potentially serving as a crucial risk factor or mediator for various environmental and lifestyle-related risk factors leading to early-onset cancer,” Tian said in an email to Fox News Digital.
“This discovery challenges us to reconsider the underlying causes of the increasing incidence of early-onset cancers among newer generations,” he added.
“It is vital for recent generations to become more health-conscious and consider the implications of accelerated aging.”
The hope is that these findings will lead to interventions to slow biological aging as a “new avenue for cancer prevention,” the researchers noted, combined with screening efforts tailored to younger individuals.
“It is vital for recent generations to become more health-conscious and consider the implications of accelerated aging,” Tian said.
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In future studies, the research team will work to determine the factors that drive accelerated aging and early-onset cancers, which will help with the development of more personalized cancer prevention strategies, according to a press release.
One limitation of the study is that all participants were from the U.K., Tian noted.
“Therefore, our findings may not be directly generalized to populations in other countries or to racial and ethnic minority groups not represented in the cohort.”
Dr. Brett Osborn, a Florida neurologist and longevity expert, often discusses the concept of accelerated aging with his patients, he told Fox News Digital. (Dr. Brett Osborn)
Dr. Brett Osborn, a Florida neurologist and longevity expert, often discusses the concept of accelerated aging with his patients.
“Just because a person is 40 years old chronologically does not mean that they are 40 years old biochemically,” Osborn, who was not involved in the new research, told Fox News Digital.
“In other words, there may be a difference in one’s age – meaning, how long they’ve stood on this earth – and the body’s inner biochemical health, or lack thereof.”
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In Osborn’s clinic, he measures patients’ biological age to help measure the risk of age-related disease.
“Typically, the older someone is chronologically, the greater the chance of developing diseases such as cancer, diabetes, heart attack and stroke,” he said.
In future studies, the research team (not pictured) said it will work to determine the factors that drive accelerated aging and early-onset cancers — which will help with the development of more personalized cancer prevention strategies. (iStock)
“This is similarly the case if one’s biological age is higher than their calculated biological age — which means they are aging at an accelerated rate relative to their chronological age.”
“Their clock is, in essence, ticking faster.”
“As we reach a given biological age faster, age-related diseases will pop up earlier.”
Obesity plays a big part in accelerated aging, according to Osborn.
“Obesity rates are on the rise, and this is a primary risk factor for aging and age-related diseases,” he said.
Obesity plays a big part in accelerated aging, according to Osborn. “It is a gateway disease to type II diabetes, cancer and Alzheimer’s disease, to name a few,” he told Fox News Digital. (iStock)
“It is a gateway disease to type II diabetes, cancer and Alzheimer’s disease, to name a few.”
Obesity also causes “biochemical abnormalities,” such as insulin resistance and high levels of inflammation in the body, the doctor warned.
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“As obesity rates rise for a variety of reasons, it should come as no surprise that rates of aging are going to accelerate, along with the rates of diseases such as cancer,” Osborn said.
“More simply put, as we reach a given biological age faster, age-related diseases will pop up earlier.”
The new research was conducted at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri. (Washington University)
Regarding the new Washington University study, Osborn called the findings “highly troubling.”
“This parallels the deteriorating health of the younger generations, as is evidenced – in this study – by the heightened cancer risk in the same population,” he told Fox News Digital.
Beyond cancer, Osborn predicted that a spike would also be detected for other age-related diseases.
“Our nation’s health – let alone Britain’s – is imperiled, and unless radical measures are taken, this trend will likely worsen before it gets better,” he warned.
“The younger population will be stricken with lethal diseases at an earlier age.”
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The latest COVID-19 vaccine (2024-2025) has been linked to fewer serious heart-related events among U.S. veterans.
New research confirmed a small reduction in COVID-related cardiovascular events, or COVID-19-associated MACE, due to the vaccine.
MACE (major adverse cardiovascular events) is a composite measure of serious heart-related outcomes. It typically includes cardiovascular death, heart attack and stroke, and may also include hospitalization for heart failure.
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Using health records from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the researchers compared two groups of veterans — one that received the COVID and flu vaccine on the same day (nearly 350,000 people) and another group that received only the flu vaccine (nearly 700,000 people).
For people older than 75, vaccine effectiveness against COVID-associated MACE was 50.7%. (iStock)
Out of more than one million veterans studied, the average age was about 70 and 92% were male, according to a press release.
Within about eight months, the results showed that those who received the 2024-2025 COVID vaccine had a lower risk of COVID-associated major cardiovascular events, with a relative vaccine effectiveness of 37.7%.
The COVID vaccine was linked to a 57.9% lower risk of cardiovascular death, 38.5% lower risk of heart attack and 41.9% lower risk of hospitalization for heart failure, the researchers stated. The result for stroke was not statistically significant.
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The benefit was greatest among adults ages 75 and older and those with underlying health conditions. In people over 75, the vaccine was 50.7% effective at preventing COVID-associated MACE.
As the study was observational, it could not prove cause and effect between the COVID-19 vaccine and lower risk of cardiovascular events, but only highlighted an association.
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Dr. Glenn Hirsch, cardiologist at National Jewish Health in Denver, Colorado, called these results “not overall surprising” in an interview with Fox News Digital.
After eight months, those who received the 2024-2025 COVID vaccine had a lower risk of COVID-associated major cardiovascular events. (iStock)
“This result is consistent with previous studies of the COVID-19 vaccine and other vaccines against infectious diseases [in] preventing cardiovascular events, including heart attack, cardiovascular cause of death or hospitalizations,” he said.
Acute inflammation in the body from infections like COVID-19 increases the risk of cardiovascular events and can cause further complications, according to the doctor.
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“This can lead to a higher risk of blood clotting, but can also make arterial plaques susceptible to rupture, which then leads to clot formation to heal a ruptured plaque,” he said. “This clotting can cause a near-total or complete occlusion of an artery, leading to these cardiovascular events.”
“Vaccines either prevent infection or reduce the severity of infection and subsequent inflammation, lowering the cardiovascular risk.”
Acute inflammation in the body from infections like COVID-19 can increase the risk of cardiovascular events, the study suggests. (iStock)
Despite the positive outcome, the overall benefit of the vaccine in this study was less than in previous studies, according to Hirsch, who was not involved in the research.
This could be due to the lower severity of illness seen in more recent COVID-19 variants, as well as immunity from prior infections among unvaccinated people, he noted. There has also been a decline in COVID testing, making it more difficult to link cardiovascular events to the virus.
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“The bottom line [is] that there is still evidence of benefit from COVID-19 vaccination like many other infectious disease vaccinations, and people should be encouraged to discuss these with their healthcare team annually,” Hirsch advised.
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“This is an observational trial and there can always be some confounding after necessary statistical adjustments and other potential benefits or harms, including adverse effects from vaccines that were not investigated in this study,” he added.
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A former “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star is speaking out about a fresh wave of health issues.
Brandi Glanville, 53, has been speaking publicly about ongoing swelling, lumps and paralysis of her face since 2023.
At the time, the reality star shared that she believed she had been infected with a parasite during a trip to Morocco, Fox News Digital previously reported.
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After the initial diagnosis, she suspected she contracted a parasite in Morocco and said she could feel it moving within her face.
Brandi Glanville attends the grand opening of Beverly Hills Rejuvenation Clinic West Hollywood in West Hollywood, Calif., on April 25, 2024. (Paul Archuleta/Getty Images)
Glanville was first diagnosed with stress-induced angioedema, a sudden swelling of the deeper layers of the skin and mucous membranes, according to Cleveland Clinic.
Angioedema “is a reaction similar to hives that affects deeper layers of the skin. It can appear with hives or alone,” Mayo Clinic states.
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Most recently, in a June 18 episode of her podcast “Brandi Glanville Unfiltered,” Glanville revealed that doctors discovered a “benign tumor” in one of her facial lymph nodes.
The reality star, who has previously speculated that a parasite may be contributing to her facial symptoms, said the finding could help explain the swelling and fluid buildup she has experienced and noted that she has had a lump in her face for “years.”
Brandi Glanville, 53, has been speaking publicly about ongoing swelling, lumps and paralysis of her face since 2023. (Mega/GC Images)
“I don’t know what’s wrong with me, guys. I thought I was fixed, and then it happened again and now it’s sinking in again,” Glanville said in another June podcast.
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“It could be why the fluid is going around my face and why I’m having a hard time,” she added.
While benign tumors of the face have been known to arise from fat tissue, blood vessels, skin structures, salivary glands or lymphatic tissue, Glanville has not publicly disclosed the specific type of diagnosis she received.
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Prior to learning of the tumor, Glanville said she saw dozens of doctors and spent over $100,000 trying to pinpoint the source of the issue.
Brandi Glanville shares images of painful facial burns caused by Nair hair removal cream in a viral TikTok video. (Brandi Glanville/TikTok)
The reality star emphasized that the tumor is “not cancerous.”
“I haven’t had a face lift yet!” she added.
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Glanville also said she suspected her ruptured breast implants could have played a role in her health issues, claiming the leaking silicone had clogged her lymph nodes.
Fox News Digital reached out to Glanville for comment.
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