Adolescents and young adults who survive cancer show signs of ageing more rapidly than peers who have never had the disease, according to new research that points to changes in both cellular biology and brain function. The study suggests that accelerated ageing is not confined to the body alone but also affects cognitive abilities such as memory, attention, and the speed at which information is processed. These findings add to growing concern about the long-term health consequences faced by people treated for cancer early in life.
The research was recently published in Nature Communications. It was led by AnnaLynn Williams, PhD, an investigator at the University of Rochester Wilmot Cancer Institute, with Kevin Krull, PhD, of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital serving as co-corresponding author. Together, the team examined how cancer and its treatments influence biological ageing in people diagnosed during childhood, adolescence, or young adulthood.
While the results highlight significant risks, the researchers also point to encouraging possibilities. Ongoing work at Wilmot suggests that accelerated ageing may be modifiable rather than permanent. Williams noted that healthy lifestyle changes—including quitting smoking, exercising regularly, and improving nutrition—could help slow or even reverse some ageing-related effects. This raises the prospect that targeted interventions might meaningfully enhance long-term health and functioning for young adult cancer survivors.
Williams emphasised that survivors often have many decades of life ahead of them, making early intervention especially important. If accelerated ageing begins soon after treatment and alters long-term health trajectories, intervening early could not only extend lifespan but also improve quality of life. This approach reflects a broader shift in cancer care, which increasingly recognises survivorship as a distinct phase requiring sustained medical and psychosocial support.
For many survivors treated as children or young adults, these biological changes coincide with significant life transitions. Completing education, starting careers, establishing independence, and forming families can all be affected by subtle cognitive difficulties. Williams described this convergence as a “perfect storm”, noting that survivors often experience poorer educational and employment outcomes than their siblings, highlighting how health effects can ripple into social and economic life.
The study included roughly 1,400 participants who were at least five years beyond treatment, with some surviving for decades. Most had been treated for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia or Hodgkin lymphoma. Researchers found faster biological ageing across treatment types, though chemotherapy showed the strongest association. Crucially, higher biological age was linked to worse memory and attention. Ongoing studies now aim to identify when ageing acceleration begins and how interventions—such as exercise—might help reverse it.
More information: AnnaLynn Williams et al, Epigenetic age acceleration, telomere length, and neurocognitive function in long-term survivors of childhood cancer, Nature Communications. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-65664-5
Journal information: Nature Communications Provided by University of Rochester Medical Center
