Guest Editors
Dr. Sreesankar Easwaran
Email: easwaran@uab.edu
Affiliation: Dept. of Biomedical Engineering, University of Alabama, Birmingham, 35294, USA
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Research Interests: Aging, Cancer, Stem Cells, Neurobiology, Developmental Biology
Dr. Shreekant Verma
Email: sverma3@uab.edu
Affiliation: Dept. of Biomedical Engineering, University of Alabama, Birmingham, 35294, USA
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Research Interests: Cancer, Epigenetics, Neurobiology, Developmental Biology, Neurodegenerative diseases
Dr. Aswan Nalli
Email: aswannalli@uab.edu
Affiliation: Dept. of Biomedical Engineering, University of Alabama, Birmingham, 35294, USA
Homepage:
Research Interests: Cancer, Stem Cells, Neurobiology, Developmental Biology, Neurodegenerative diseases
Summary
The intersection of aging and cancer provides a critical framework to explore how age influences tumor biology, treatment responses, and patient outcomes. Aging is a significant risk factor for cancer, driven by mechanisms such as genomic instability, telomere attrition, epigenetic reprogramming, and altered cellular signaling. At the same time, young cancer patients exhibit distinct biological and clinical profiles, often shaped by inherited mutations or unique environmental exposures. Understanding these differences is essential for developing age-specific therapeutic strategies.
This special issue will delve into the mechanistic underpinnings of aging-related oncogenesis and compare these with the drivers of cancer in younger patients. Topics will include the role of senescence and inflammation in the tumor microenvironment, age-related epigenetic changes that promote or suppress tumorigenesis, and the metabolic and immune landscape shifts across different age groups. The issue will also explore how younger patients may have biological advantages, such as greater regenerative capacity, contrasted with the challenges faced by aging populations, including comorbidities and reduced resilience to treatments.
By integrating research on the interplay between aging, epigenetics, and cancer, this issue will provide a comprehensive understanding of age-dependent factors in oncology, fostering insights that could inform the future of precision medicine across diverse age groups.
Keywords
Aging, Cancer, Oncogenesis, Epigenetics, Tumor Micro-environment, Inflammation, Genetic instability, Senescence
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