Biomarkers of aging and cellular senescence in (breast) cancer s, and impact on prognosis

Treating older patients with (breast) cancer is a major challenge. On the one hand, older persons are more vulnerable to side effects of therapy, and overtreatment should be avoided. But on the other hand, undertreatment (which is common in elderly) can lead to worse survival and quality of life as well. There is a delicate balance between benefits of therapy and risk of (sometimes life threatening) toxicity. There is an urgent need for robust markers that reflect the body’s biological age and may aid in outlining optimal individual treatment. This project is aimed at the identification of such biomarkers. In the framework of several institutional and international studies and biobanking projects on cancer and ageing, we will evaluate the predictive value of a broad panel of candidate ageing biomarkers for survival and treatment tolerance. In particular, we will focus on the impact of age on the immune system, which plays a crucial role in tumor  development. This project will improve our understanding of the complex interplay between cancer and ageing, and will eventually contribute to better tailored elderly cancer care.