Epigenetic clocks, aging, and cancer

Description Global methylation changes in aging cells affect cancer risk and tissue homeostasis Cancer and aging are accompanied by stereotyped changes to the epigenetic landscape, including progressive loss of DNA methylation over gene-poor genomic regions (1, 2). Global hypomethylation arises in cells that have undergone many divisions, likely owing to imperfect maintenance. Evidence suggests that global hypomethylation represents a “mitotic clock” that counts divisions in somatic cells and functions to restrain aging cells and limit malignant progression. Therapies that modulate the pace of methylation loss or eliminate hypomethylated cells could alleviate agingassociated diseases or cancers.