The Underlying Molecular, Cellular and Immunological Factors in Cancer and Aging, Softcover reprint of the original 1st ed. 1993 Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology Series, Vol. 330

Background Cancer is a variety of malignancies generally associated with aging. As the overall health technology and health care delivery improved with the advances made in medicine and science in the United States, the life expectancy of the population also increased. The average life expectancy in the U. S. A. has increased from 49 years at the end of 1900 to 75 years today in 1990 (1-3). The population of 65 years and older that constituted 25. 5 million or 11. 3% of the total U. S. population in 1980(4) has now increased to 31. 1 million or 12. 5% of the population according to the 1990(5) census. As cancer diagnosis and treatment have improved, cancer mortality among patients under 55 has been significantly reduced within recent years *1; however, cancer incidence under 55 is still increasing at about 0. 4% per year (as compared to 1. 0% for all ages or 0. 6% for < 65) according to the 1990 review of the 15 year trends in the Cancer Statistics Review 1973-1987, published by the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). In contrast, both cancer incidence and mortality have been increasing among the population 65 and over*2 at a rate of 1. 4% and 1. 0% respectively per year between 1973-1987(6).

Background.- Aging, Comorbidity, and Breast Cancer Survival: An Epidemiologic View.- Squamous Cell Cancer of the Cervix, Immune Senescence and HPV: Is Cervical Cancer an Age-Related Neoplasm?.- Genetics and Epigenetics.- Genetic and Molecular Basis for Cellular Senescence.- A Single Gene Change Can Extend Yeast Life Span: The Role of ras in Cellular Senescence.- A Comparison of the Properties of Human P53 Mutant Alleles.- Gene Structure and Expression in Colorectal Cancer.- Influence of Physiological Changes in the Immune Constitutions in Aging and Cancer.- Tumors and Aging: The Influence of Age-Associated Immune Changes upon Tumor Growth and Spread.- T Cell Differentiation and Functional Maturation in Aging Mice.- Molecular Biology of Age-Related Changes in Some Types of Cancer.- I. Breast Cancer.- Cytogenetics and Clinical Correlations in Breast Cancer.- Breast Cancer: Influence of Endocrine Hormones, Growth Factors and Genetic Alterations.- Regulation of Estrogen Receptor Expression in Breast Cancer.- Aging and Development of Ovarian Epithelial Carcinoma: The Relevance of Changes in Ovarian Stromal Androgen Production.- II. Prostate Cancer.- Prostatic Cancer: An Age-Old Problem.- Stromal-Epithelial Paracrine Interactions in the Neoplastic Rat and Human Prostate.- Heparin-Binding Fibroblast Growth Factors and Prostate Cancer.- Molecular Epidemiology and Treatment Modality in Patients of Different Ages with Leukemias.- Age Related Changes in Adults with Acute Leukemia.- Significance of Chromosomal Chances in Patients of Different Age Groups with Acute Leukemia.- Glucocorticoid Receptors in Leukemias, Lymphomas and Myelomas of Young And Old.- Drug Resistance.- General Aspects of Cancer Chemotherapy in the Aged.- Drug Resistance and Cancer.- Summation and Synthesis.- From the Cancer Cell Biology Point of View.- From the Immunology Point of View.- From the Aging Point of View.- Participants and Contributors.