Propose an explanation of the observation that higher rates of cancer are associated with increasing age?

Answer 1

First its important to mention that all your DNA does is code for various protein synthesis. We are born with genes that produce cancerous growth, these are called "oncogenes". Fortunately, the necessary "start codon", the sequence that tells transcription proteins where to start their synthesis is usually absent.

However, as we age, our DNA changes slightly due to 1. replication errors and 2. point mutations caused by carcinogens, viruses, etc. and its thought its the accumulation of these errors that are what we recognize as aging. Usually these deviations from the DNA we were born with are harmless, as most of our DNA appears to be redundant or nonsense code. Sometimes, however, these errors can take place in what was nonsense code and turn it into a start codon upstream from an oncogene.

Due to the presence of oncogenes and replication errors it is said that if we live long enough, we'll all die from cancer eventually.

Answer 2

The Percent values have been adjusted in a systematic increase from past data using personal knowledge along with Government Statistics.
From observation and statistical studies we find, Cancer and mortality rates increase dramatically with age. On average about 1/2 million people die from cancer in any given year, with an approximate 2/3 being individuals over the age of 65. It is hoped with new advances in medical care and early cancer detection methods along with new treatments these numbers can be adjusted downward in time. Over a 4 year study cancer mortality rates increased by 10%. A 15% increase in those 65 and over. The probability of developing cancer from birth to a person's death is approximatly 47% in men and 38.5% in women. From the fore mentioned statistics those between the ages of 60 and 80 developing cancer are 36.7% men and 22.8% women. Thus, 59.5% of people having cancer lies in a 20 year time frame from the ages of 60 and 80. The main types of cancer in the elderly that are associated to cancer are; lung, prostate, breast and colon cancers.

Answer 3

The other answers are good, but here's another one:

Cancer is often associated with the cumulative effects of environmental hazards such as ultraviolet rays, chemicals, or tobacco. Naturally, the older someone is, the more of those things you might have been exposed to, and so older people will be observed to have higher rates of cancer.

Answer 4

The fact that the human body loses it immunity to diseases that it has even been vaccinated for as it ages is because the immune system is aging and not doing as good a job as when the person is younger. Alot of the same mechanism that allows immunity also kills off bad cells as they show up when you are young to head off cancer development. As you age, your body do as good a job killing off these cells and cancer has a better chance to take hold.

Answer 5

There are a few factors but the main one, which is often overlooked, is the degenerescence of the immune system, which is a normal phenomenon in ageing.

The immune system is our main protector against cancer, because its function is to destroy things, from germs to cells gone bad. An organism with reduced immune function is much more susceptible to cancer. It is now oberved in AIDS patients because they can now survive to infection thanks to the medication. Nude mice, with a very poor immune system are also used for tumor grafts because normal mice will destroy the grafts.

I personnaly believe that the next great breakthrough in cancer research will involve the immune system, and how to stimulate it to go after cancer cells. All in all, how to help the body heal itself.

Answer 6

If you considered cancer to be, in part, failure of the immune system, and that the immune system continues to decline as you get older, then you would expect an increase in cancer with age.

If you looked at cancer as a response to damages caused by harmful elements in the body's systems, you would expect an increase in cancer with age as a response to ever increasing or prolonged exposure to carcinogens with time.

Answer 7

As age advances all tissues of all organs show degenerative changes. But the rate of degeneration varies from organ to organ and from tissue to tissue in the same organ.. The less degenerating tissue in an organ compensates for more rapidly degenerating tissues. by dividing in meiosis and cancer begins. Lesser used organs and tissues are young relatively and so become more cancerous.