Scientists have named a new cause of premature aging

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A new study shows that certain anti-cancer treatments can accelerate the aging of cells . At the same time, changes in the DNA of patients can contribute to increased inflammation and fatigue. 

Gene activity is often regulated throughout life by epigenetic changes, or physical modifications to DNA that do not involve a change in the underlying sequence.

Some people may experience epigenetic age acceleration (EAA), which increases the risk of age-related chronic problems. The researchers examined EAA changes during and after cancer treatment in search of a potential relationship between these events and fatigue in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients.

133 HNC patients participated in the study. Half of them at some point in time faced severe fatigue. EAA was most prominent immediately after radiation therapy, when the mean epigenetic age increased by 4.9 years.

Elevated EAA levels were associated with increased fatigue, and patients with severe fatigue had EAA levels of 3. 1 year Higher than in patients with low fatigue. In addition, patients with high levels of inflammatory markers had EAA levels approximately 5 years higher.

“Our results add to the body of evidence suggesting that long-term toxicity and possibly increased mortality caused by anticancer treatment of patients with HNC, may be related to elevated levels of EAA and its association with inflammation,” said lead author Dr. Kanghua Xiao of Emory University School of Nursing in Atlanta.