Cancers are not as prominent in causing death in humans compared to other species, like laboratory mice. However, the balance between regeneration and cancer risk plays a crucial role in the aging mechanisms of mammals. In our species, suppressing cancer risk for longer lifespans has led to a gradual decline in function and increased cellular senescence burden.
Human lifespan is influenced by both genetics and environment. To achieve precision health, understanding the impact of genetic variants on early death or prolonged survival is essential. A study in the UK Biobank focused on common and rare genetic variants in European ancestry individuals to analyze longevity.
The study revealed associations mostly related to cancer, with identified longevity-associated loci and genes contributing to reduced lifespan. Many of these genes are linked to oncogenic pathways and somatic variants affecting susceptibility to cancer and early death.
