Immune senescence and cancer in elderly patients: Results from an exploratory study
Open accessAbstract
BACKGROUND: The challenge of immune senescence has never been addressed in elderly cancer patients. This study compares the thymic output and peripheral blood telomere length in ≥70year old cancer patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fifty-two elderly cancer patients and 39 age-matched controls without personal history of cancer were enrolled. All patients underwent a Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA), from which a multidimensional prognostic index (MPI) score was calculated. Peripheral blood samples were studied for naïve and recent thymic emigrant (RTE) CD4(+) and CD8(+) cells by flow cytometry. T-cell receptor rearrangement excision circle (TREC) levels, telomere length and telomerase activity in peripheral blood cells were quantified by real-time PCR. RESULTS: The percentages of CD8(+) naïve and CD8(+) RTE cells and TREC levels were significantly lower in cancer patients than in controls (p=0.003, p=0.004, p=0.031, respectively). Telomere lengths in peripheral blood cells were significantly shorter in cancer patients than in controls (p=0.046) and did not correlate with age in patients, whereas it did in controls (r=-0.354, p=0.031). Short telomere (≤median)/low TREC (≤median) profile was associated with higher risk of cancer (OR=3.68 [95% CI 1.22-11.11]; p=0.021). Neither unfitness on CGA nor MPI score were significantly related to thymic output or telomere length in either group. CONCLUSIONS: Immune senescence is significantly worse in elderly cancer patients than in age-matched controls. The low thymic output and the shorter telomeres in peripheral blood cells of cancer patients may reflect a pre-existing condition which facilitates the onset of malignancies in elderly people.
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Telomere shortening in peripheral blood T cells was linked to the development of cancer.
“This was shown in a study where telomere shortening in peripheral blood T cells, was linked to the development of cancer [37].”
From Senescence and Cancer: A Review of Clinical Implications of Senescence and Senotherapies (2020) · cites this paper as [37]
Immune senescence associated with the aging of the immune system in older age may contribute to the failure of immune surveillance and contribute to cancer development in older people.
“There is also evidence that “immune senescence”, associated with the aging of the immune system in older age may contribute to the failure of immune surveillance and contribute to cancer development in older people.”
From Senescence and Cancer: A Review of Clinical Implications of Senescence and Senotherapies (2020) · cites this paper as [37]
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“This was shown in a study where telomere shortening in peripheral blood T cells, was linked to the development of cancer [37].”
BackgroundBoda, F., Banfai, K., Garai, K., Kovacs, B., Almasi, A., Scheffer, D., Sinkler, R. L., Csonka, R., Czompoly, T., & Kvell, K. (2020) · Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases · doi:10.1590/1678-9199-jvatitd-2020-0057 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
- Authors
- Falci, C., Gianesin, K., Sergi, G., Giunco, S., De Ronch, I., Valpione, S., Soldà, C., Fiduccia, P., Lonardi, S., Zanchetta, M., Keppel, S., Brunello, A., Zafferri, V., Manzato, E., De Rossi, A., & Zagonel, V.
- Affiliations
- Istituto Oncologico Veneto (IT)
- University of Padua (IT)
- ORCID
- Venue
- Experimental Gerontology
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2013-12
- Volume
- 48
- Issue
- 12
- Pages
- 1436-1442
- ISSN
- 0531-5565 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1987250913
- Cited by
- 46
- References
- 62
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 4 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 2
- FWCI
- 1.84
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Experimental Gerontology (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Research Explorer (The University of Manchester) (publishedVersion, other-oa)
- Padua Research Archive (University of Padova) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- INFM-OAR (INFN Catania) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Funders
- Associazione Italiana Ricerca sul Cancro (AIRC)
- Ricerca Sanitaria Finalizzata of Veneto Region
- Italian Ministry of Health (GR-2009-1606663)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Telomeres, Telomerase, and Senescence
- Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › T-cell and B-cell Immunology
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Geriatrics and Gerontology › Frailty in Older Adults
- Keywords
- immunosenescence, elderly cancer patients, thymic output, telomere length, telomerase activity, recent thymic emigrants, TREC, naive CD8+ T cells, CD4+ T cells, cancer risk, comprehensive geriatric assessment, Multidimensional Prognostic Index
- MeSH terms
- Age Factors, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Aging, Breast Neoplasms, Female, Flow Cytometry, Humans, Male, Prospective Studies, Risk Factors, Thymus Gland, Colorectal Neoplasms, Gene Rearrangement, T-Lymphocyte, Biomarkers, CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes, Geriatric Assessment, Chi-Square Distribution, Logistic Models, Odds Ratio, Case-Control Studies, Polymerase Chain Reaction, CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes, Telomerase, Telomere Shortening
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