Cancer and Aging

A pretty common theme here on the bayblab. For those of you with Nature access there is an informative (at least for me) review on the connections between cancer and aging.
"The relevance of senescence for cancer protection can be rationalized if senescence is considered as a stress-induced barrier that limits the proliferative potential of damaged cells. In keeping with this notion, recent data have shown that there are abundant senescent cells within tumours, thus moving these observations from the realm of the plastic plate into the arena of real cancer biology"

More moles means longer life?

According to the American Academy of Dermatology "the majority of moles show up during the first two decades of a person’s life while about one in every 100 babies are born with moles." This means that in fact as you age you get fewer moles not more as one would have guessed.

Moles are usually associated with UV exposure and cancer risk: "A basic reference chart used for consumers to spot suspicious moles is found in the mnemonic, A-B-C-D. The letters stand for Asymmetry, Border, Color and Diameter. Sometimes, the letter E (for Evolving) is added. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, if a mole starts changing in size, color, shape or, especially, if the border of a mole develops ragged edges or becomes larger than a pencil eraser, it would be an appropriate time to consult with a physician. Other warning signs include a mole -- even if smaller than a pencil eraser -- that is different than the others and begins to crust over, bleed, itch, or becomes inflamed. "

However a new study involving twins in AACR's Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention journal, shows that more moles later in life means longer life expectancy: "In the study, researchers found those with more than 100 moles had longer telomeres than those with fewer than 25.The difference between the two mole groups was equivalent to six to seven years of ageing. " . After checking out some pictures of Aubrey De Grey I don't see any moles on his face!

The smell of food can kill you

We have previously discussed the subject of caloric restriction and longevity to great lengths. However, in a surprising twist, it seems that just the smell of food can reverse the anti-aging benefits of dieting: "Smell is an ancient sensory system present in organisms from bacteria to humans. In the nematode Caeonorhabditis elegans, gustatory and olfactory neurons regulate aging and longevity. Using the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, we showed that exposure to nutrient-derived odorants can modulate life span and partially reverse the longevity-extending effects of dietary restriction. Furthermore, mutation of odorant receptor Or83b resulted in severe olfactory defects, altered adult metabolism, enhanced stress resistance, and extended life span. Our findings indicate that olfaction affects adult physiology and aging in Drosophila, possibly through the perceived availability of nutritional resources, and that olfactory regulation of life span is evolutionarily conserved.^"