Young Cancer Survivors Age Faster at Cellular, Brain Level
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- University of Rochester Wilmot Cancer Institute researchers found young cancer survivors age faster at both the cellular and brain levels, with memory and attention difficulties tied to a higher biological age than chronological age.
- The study, published in Nature Communications, tracked approximately 1,400 participants treated at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, all at least five years beyond cancer therapy, most treated for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) or Hodgkin lymphoma.
- Chemotherapy was linked to the greatest acceleration of aging, though faster biological aging was detected regardless of the type of treatment received in childhood.
- Lead researcher AnnaLynn Williams said healthy habits—quitting smoking, regular exercise, and improved diet—may slow or even reverse some of the accelerated aging, citing ongoing Wilmot work including one study that already showed exercise can counteract cancer-linked aging.
- Williams, herself a cancer survivor, called the combination of accelerated aging and cognitive challenges "a perfect storm" that contributes to survivors having worse educational and employment outcomes than their siblings.
- Williams is now running a pilot study comparing tissue and cell samples from 50 Hodgkin lymphoma patients before and after treatment against 50 healthy individuals to determine whether the aging process begins during treatment or develops years later.
Why it matters: For the 1,400 St. Jude survivors studied—many still finishing school, launching careers, or starting families—accelerated biological aging translates into cognitive struggles researchers link to worse educational and employment outcomes than their siblings experience. The finding that exercise and lifestyle changes may reverse some damage gives clinicians a concrete, low-cost intervention to deploy across decades of remaining life.
