Hospitals with precision medicine programs should be aware of new research suggesting cancer genetics vary significantly between young and older patients
Research conducted at Mount Sinai Health System in New York has shown that cancer genetics can vary significantly based on the age of the patient. This finding affects how personalized medicine treatments are applied to cancer research and treatment, as precision medicine typically considers the prevalence of cancer variations in the context of general populations, not age-specific populations.
“Most of what is known about treating various cancers is based on studies of older patients, creating an apparent knowledge gap that needs to be filled,” states a Mount Sinai press release announcing the research. “Young adults who are diagnosed with skin, colon, and other cancer types may require different treatments than older patients receive.”
Led by William Lee, PhD, a genetic bioinformatician at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, the researchers used data from 1,757 young adults and 3,608 patients over 50 years old to identify differences in 14 different types of cancers. The team published its findings in the peer-reviewed journal Cell Reports, titled, “Genomic and Molecular Features Distinguish Young Adult Cancer from Later-Onset Cancer.”
On the Rise: Cancer Incidences Among Young People
There is “a recent rise in the incidence of various cancer types among young adults, including colorectal, endometrial, gallbladder, multiple myeloma, pancreatic, and renal cancer, for individuals between 15 and 50 years old in the US and worldwide,” the researchers wrote. “Comprehensive genomic analyses of young adult tumors are required to reveal their molecular underpinnings, which will in turn improve targeted diagnostics and treatments for this understudied population.”
Using data from the National Cancer Institute’s “The Cancer Genome Atlas,” Lee’s team found there were significant differences in the frequencies of cancer biomarkers and in cancer genetics based on the age of the patients. While the cause for these variations is not currently known, Lee’s team postulated that older adult cancers are related to mutations that accumulate over time, while cancers in young adults are more likely to be driven by a single mutation.
The Mount Sinai research not only found important genetic differences in cancers related exclusively to age, but also was able to use these findings to recommend treatment changes, allowing hospitals to provide precision medicine treatments based on the ages of their patients.
“The findings highlighted key genomic and microenvironment alterations that may be targeted by kinase inhibitors and immunotherapies, presenting possible treatment options for young adult cancer patients,” the Icahn researchers noted.
Age is a factor in precision medicine that has gone largely unrecognized until recently. The Mount Sinai research is an important step in highlighting the effect that age can have in providing precision medicine treatment; however, there are other recent advances worth noting in the study of aging related to precision medicine.
One of the most significant developments in age-related precision medicine research has been the recent establishment of the Precision Aging Network, led by the University of Arizona and established through a $60 million grant provided by the federal National Institutes of Health. This initiative is designed to provide understanding of “the neurological changes that occur during normal aging and the links to environmental and genetic factors that drive exceptional cognitive health span,” according to the University of Arizona website.
This initiative will use precision medicine principles to predict age-related neurological changes. “We hope to be able to identify who may have accelerated brain aging and who may not,” said Bijan Najafi, PhD, of Baylor College of Medicine in a BCM press release.
Baylor is a member of the Precision Aging Network. “If we are able to capture the early signs of Alzheimer’s and dementia, it could help us target these individuals for early intervention that can delay the process of brain aging or even better track the outcomes of medication that is designed to delay some of the brain aging,” Najafi added.
As the field of precision medicine grows, the more individual factors influencing health continue to be explored. Age-related differences in genetics are one of the emerging areas of research that will impact how precision medicine is researched and applied. Hospital and health system leaders will want to monitor new age-related findings to consider the implications for personalized care.
—Caleb Williams
Related Information:
Young Adult Cancer Patients May Need Different Treatment Options
Genomic and Molecular Features Distinguish Young Adult Cancer from Later-Onset Cancer