Recent research suggest that completely healthy seniors may be at risk of developing cancer due to cellular mutation. This study found that by age 60, 100 billion cells in a person's body have at least one cancer causing mutation. By performing a meta-analysis of previously public sequencing data on normal tissues, the researcher were able to categorize the mutations that occur in a senior citizens body. Despite the grim statistics, the vast majority of these mutations found, have no effect on the body, and most people will go their entire lives without a cancer diagnosis. As such, these findings should not elicit panic for older people, but should shed light on the fact that these mutations should be further studied.
Additional Links:
https://www.genome.gov/genetics-glossary/Oncogene
https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/causes-of-cancer/age-and-cancer
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