“The Elderly Are Susceptible to Cancer by Delayed Removal of Damaged Cells“

A domestic research team found out the reason why elderly people are more susceptible to cancer through animal examination, a first finding the world. Damaged cells that are not killed on time can easily become cancer cells but damaged cells are not effectively removed on time as individuals advance in age.

Profs. Park Sang-Chul and Seo Yoo-Shin of the Bio-Chemistry research team of Seoul National University had examined the degree of damage in the livers after injecting a poisonous chemical that damages the DNA in 10 mice over 26 months old and 10 mice that are 2 months old.

According to the research team, the degree of damage in both groups by the injection was almost the same. However, while rate of death among cells in young mice drastically increased, the cells in the old mice remained. Liver cells in damaged livers are apt to become cancer cells.

The research was published in `Nature` recently. Alkylating is known to be the most common agent in causing DNA damage and exists in exhaust gases and cigarette smoke.

Prof. Seo anticipates that "the research results will help to develop new cancer-related drugs by increasing the death-rate of DNA damaged cells."

Jin-Han Lee likeday@donga.com