Gene Called Link Between Life Span and Cancers - New York Times

Gene Called Link Between Life Span and Cancers - New York Times:

"Biologists have uncovered a deep link between life span and cancer in the form of a gene that switches off stem cells as a person ages.

The critical gene, well known for its role in suppressing tumors, seems to mediate a profound balance between life and death. It weighs the generation of new replacement cells, required for continued life, against the risk of death from cancer, which is the inevitable outcome of letting cells divide.

To offset the increasing risk of cancer as a person ages, the gene gradually reduces the ability of stem cells to proliferate."