2 replies to this topic

[Rocket]

www.oncotherapynetwork.com/lung-cancer-targets/are-longer-telomere-lengths-risk-factor-lung-cancer

"The finding is consistent with those of other recent findings linking longer telomere length with lung cancer risk..."

[QuestforLife]

Very interesting study, thanks for posting.

 

It is strange that those smokers with the shortest - or the longest telomeres, as measured in leukocytes, were most at risk of lung cancer.

 

We know COPD is associated with short telomere length, and Blasco's recent work (see 'Therapeutic effects of telomerase in mice with pulmonary fibrosis induced by damage to the lungs and short telomeres') showed this can be cured by lengthening telomeres. So those at risk from short telomeres makes sense.

 

But why is there also a risk for those with the longest leukocyte telomere lengths?

 

It may well turn out not to be causal - for example, an immune system that has not identified an incipient cancer will not be deployed to destroy it; therefore TL will be longer as leukocytes are not used up. Whereas those who immune system is engaged in battle with necessarily show shorter LTLs.

 

I'm just guessing here, but I can't help but think that leukocyte telomere length is a very misleading metric, and in fact has done a great deal of harm to the telomere theory of aging over the years. 

Edited by QuestforLife, 25 April 2018 - 08:23 AM.

[QuestforLife]

I had some more thoughts on this, which I posted over at the Telomere Length Predicts Cancer Risk Thread:

 

Check out post 9