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Inflammation accelerates telomere shortening and dysfunction, while telomere components can regulate inflammatory signaling. The described interplay has enabled therapeutic strategies centered on telomerase inhibition, supported by recent advances.",{"@graph":14,"@context":73},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/healthcare/","Healthcare",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/aging-cancer-and-inflammation-the-telomerase-connection-review/336596/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/aging-cancer-and-inflammation-the-telomerase-connection-review/336596.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":42,"@type":43},"Ezra","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-23","2026-09-21",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":55},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",11,{"@type":57,"mainEntity":58},"FAQPage",[59,65,69],{"name":60,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":62},"How does telomere shortening connect aging to cancer development?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"Telomere shortening can limit tumor growth by triggering DNA repair responses, but it can also promote oncogenic chromosomal changes that sustain tumorigenesis.","Answer",{"name":66,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":67},"What role does telomerase play in cancer cells?",{"text":68,"@type":64},"Telomerase preserves telomere length, helping cancer cells bypass the growth-limiting effects of short telomeres, and it may also support cell growth via alternative pathways.",{"name":70,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":71},"Why is inflammation important in telomere dysfunction and cancer progression?",{"text":72,"@type":64},"Inflammation accelerates telomere shortening, leading to telomere dysfunction, and telomere elements also modulate inflammatory responses, reinforcing the aging–cancer connection.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":75,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":77,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":79,"site_id":7},336596,1790415825,{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":83},"success",[84,88,92,96,101,106,110,115,120,123,127],{"id":22,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":85,"show_sort_weight":86,"slug":87},"Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":26,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":89,"show_sort_weight":90,"slug":91},"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":33,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":93,"show_sort_weight":94,"slug":95},"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":97,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":98,"show_sort_weight":99,"slug":100},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":102,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":103,"show_sort_weight":104,"slug":105},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":107,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":108,"slug":109},7,40,"healthcare",{"id":111,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":112,"show_sort_weight":113,"slug":114},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":116,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":117,"show_sort_weight":118,"slug":119},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":118,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":121,"show_sort_weight":118,"slug":122},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":124,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":125,"show_sort_weight":124,"slug":126},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":128,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":129,"show_sort_weight":97,"slug":130},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":132},{"doc_id":79,"user_id":133,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":134,"doc_module":4,"category_id":107,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":135,"file_id":136,"file_url":137,"file_type":138,"file_size":139,"view_count":55,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":140,"language":141,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":142,"faqs":143,"seo_title":144,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":145,"read_time":146},1099514068035,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_276721f389ce27ea32af1340a28f341c","Review  \nAging, Cancer, and Inflammation: The Telomerase Connection  \nVirginia Boccardi 1, * and Luigi Marano 2,3  \nCitation: Boccardi, V.; Marano, L.  \nAging, Cancer, and Inflammation: The Telomerase Connection. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25, 8542. [https://doi.org/](https://doi.org/)[ ](https://doi.org/)[10.3390/ijms25158542](10.3390/ijms25158542)  \nAcademic Editor: Elena Giulotto  \nReceived: 24 July 2024  \nRevised: 31 July 2024  \nAccepted: 4 August 2024  \nPublished: 5 August 2024  \nCopyright: © 2024 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license ([https://](https://)[ ](https://)[creativecommons.org/licenses/by/](creativecommons.org/licenses/by/)[ ](creativecommons.org/licenses/by/)[4.0/](4.0/)) .  \n1 Division of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, 06132 Perugia, Italy  \n2 Department of Medicine, Academy of Applied Medical and Social Sciences—AMiSNS: Akademia Medycznych I Spolecznych Nauk Stosowanych, 82-300 Elbla˛g, Poland; [l.marano@amisns.edu.pl](l.marano@amisns.edu.pl)  \n3 Department of General Surgery and Surgical Oncology,“Saint Wojciech” Hospital,“Nicolaus Copernicus”Health Center, 80-462 Gda ´nsk, Poland  \n* [Correspondence: virginia.boccardi@unipg.it](Correspondence: virginia.boccardi@unipg.it)  \nAbstract: Understanding the complex dynamics of telomere biology is important in the strong link between aging and cancer. Telomeres, the protective caps at the end of chromosomes, are central players in this connection. While their gradual shortening due to replication limits tumors expansion by triggering DNA repair mechanisms, it also promotes oncogenic changes within chromosomes, thus sustaining tumorigenesis. The enzyme telomerase, responsible for maintaining telomere length, emerges as a central player in this context. Its expression in cancer cells facilitates the preservation of telomeres, allowing them to circumvent the growth-limiting effects of short telomeres. Interestingly, the influence of telomerase extends beyond telomere maintenance, as evidenced by its involvement in promoting cell growth through alternative pathways. In this context, inflammation accelerates telomere shortening, resulting in telomere dysfunction, while telomere elements also play a role in modulating the inflammatory response. The recognition of this interplay has promoted the development of novel therapeutic approaches centered around telomerase inhibition. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the field, emphasizing recent progress in knowledge and the implications in understanding of cancer biology.  \nKeywords: telomeres; aging; cancer; inflammation; cellular senescence; stem cells  \n1. Introduction  \nAging is a complex process that affects individuals on molecular, cellular, tissue, and systemic levels. It results from the cumulative effects of damage and the gradual decline of repair mechanisms, contributing to the onset of age-related diseases. As people age, they experience various physiological changes at the cellular and molecular levels, leading to an increased risk of cancer [1]. Common types of cancer in older adults include prostate cancer in men, breast cancer in women, and lung and colorectal cancers in both sexes [2]. The intersection of aging and cancer is a multifaceted issue arising from the interplay between aging processes and cancer development. In fact, aging is linked to a higher frequency of genetic mutations and genomic instability, all of which can predispose cells to malignant transformation [3]. Additionally, the efficiency of DNA repair mechanisms and immune surveillance declines with age, further increasing cancer risk. Chronic inflammation, characteristic of both aging and cancer, creates an environment conducive to cancer initiation, growth, and progression [4]. Addressing the complex relationship between cancer","cbCaijqLg7rhQ3Xt","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaijqLg7rhQ3Xt","pdf",901304,15,"English","# Introduction\n## Aging and cancer intersection\n## Hallmarks of aging and molecular links\n## Inflammation and “inflammaging”\n## Telomere biology and telomerase","[{\"question\":\"How does telomere shortening connect aging to cancer development?\",\"answer\":\"Telomere shortening can limit tumor growth by triggering DNA repair responses, but it can also promote oncogenic chromosomal changes that sustain tumorigenesis.\"},{\"question\":\"What role does telomerase play in cancer cells?\",\"answer\":\"Telomerase preserves telomere length, helping cancer cells bypass the growth-limiting effects of short telomeres, and it may also support cell growth via alternative pathways.\"},{\"question\":\"Why is inflammation important in telomere dysfunction and cancer progression?\",\"answer\":\"Inflammation accelerates telomere shortening, leading to telomere dysfunction, and telomere elements also modulate inflammatory responses, reinforcing the aging–cancer connection.\"}]","Aging, Cancer, and Inflammation: The Telomerase Connection - Review | PDF",1790015777,38]