Biological age and breast cancer risk

Biological age, estimated by measuring DNA methylation, appeared to be a predictor for breast cancer risk, according to study results.

“[When looking] at a group of people who are all the same age, some may be perfectly healthy while others are not,” Jacob K. Kresovich, PhD, MPH, a postdoctoral fellow in the molecular and genetic epidemiology group of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, said in a press release. “That variability in health may be better captured by biologic age than chronologic age.”

Because chronological age is a leading risk factor for breast cancer, Kresovich and colleagues hypothesized that biological age acceleration may be associated with increased breast cancer risk.

They measured baseline blood DNA methylation in 2,764 women enrolled in the Sister Study, including 1,566 women who developed breast cancer within years after baseline blood draw.

Researchers used three established methylation-based biological “clocks” and defined biological age acceleration for each woman by comparing estimated biological age with chronological age.

Results showed a significant association between biological age acceleration and increased risk for breast cancer (HR = 1.15; 95% CI, 1.07-1.23).

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Source: https://www.healio.com/hematology-oncology/breast-cancer/news/online/%7B2d7e000a-e544-4b24-b435-f054012c680e%7D/older-biological-age-may-increase-breast-cancer-risk