3rd Geneva aging workshop 2002: cancer, apoptosis and aging.

The topics of the 3rd Geneva Aging Workshop were cancer, apoptosis, and aging. As the risk for cancer is increasing with age, synergies that could emerge from this encounter could yield significant insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying both the etiology of cancer and the aging process. Several pathways that play a role in aging are thought to have an impact on the initiation and progression of cancer, with apoptosis being the key player. Which are the factors that are correlated with age-dependent cancer incidence? The regulators of apoptosis and genetic pathways that lead to apoptosis were discussed. This included genes that are clearly involved in aging, such as WS and BS, and genes that act in repair, such as BRCA1 and BARD1. The functions of telomere shortening and telomerase, extra cellular matrix, or epigenetic changes were presented in the light of their influence on aging and cancer risk.