<p>Australian researchers have identified a surprising mechanism focusing on telomeres -- protective caps at the ends of chromosomes -- that can help cells defend against cancer.</p>
<p>Telomeres are known to play a key role in ageing and <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/mumbai/mumbai-news/article/bmc-launches-mumbai-integrated-cancer-prevention-programme-23478409" target="_blank" rel="none noopener"><strong>cancer prevention</strong></a>.</p>
<p>However, with age, these structures naturally shorten, signaling ageing cells to stop dividing -- a crucial safeguard against cancer, according to the study by Sydney-based Children's Medical Research Institute (CMRI) on Monday, Xinhua news agency reported.</p>
<p>"Our data shows telomeres are much more active. They can acutely respond to stress and actively open up to turn on a cellular response that looks like ageing. They do this to avoid cancer," said Tony Cesare of the Genome Integrity Unit at CMRI.</p>
<p>Cesare and his team worked with their collaborators at the University of Kyoto to understand the "active" role that telomeres can play in avoiding cancer.</p>
<p>The study, published in the journal Nature Communications, revealed that telomeres do more than just passively shorten with age. They actively respond to <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/lifestyle/health-and-fitness/article/national-stress-awareness-day-the-stress-relief-toolkit-you-need-23423340" target="_blank" rel="none noopener"><strong>stress</strong></a> by triggering cellular ageing processes to prevent cancer from developing.</p>
<p>"Most people think of telomeres as a passive entity that shortens with cell division. This is a passive fail-safe used during ageing," Cesare said.</p>
<p>By inducing cell cycle arrest or programmed cell death, telomeres help eliminate cells with chromosomal damage before they can divide uncontrollably, he said, adding this discovery introduces a previously unknown anti-cancer function of telomeres.</p>
<p>Beyond its significance for telomere biology, Cesare suggests that this breakthrough could open new avenues for cancer treatment -- targeting telomeres to trigger cell death in cancerous cells may offer a promising therapeutic strategy.</p>
<p>As per the latest estimates, in 2022, there were an estimated 20 million new cancer cases and 9.7 million deaths.</p>
<p>About 1 in 5 people develop cancer in their lifetime, approximately 1 in 9 men and 1 in 12 women die from the disease, according to data from the World Health Organization.</p>
<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mid-day.com/lifestyle/health-and-fitness/article/world-cancer-day-2025-cancer-incidence-steadily-rising-in-india-say-doctors-23477727" target="_blank" rel="none noopener">Cancer incidence steadily rising in India; lifestyle changes essential: Doctors</a></strong></p>
<p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever</em></span></p><p>
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With age, telomeres -- protective caps at the ends of chromosomes -- naturally shorten, signaling ageing cells to stop dividing  -- a safeguard against cancer

Study finds new way of helping cells defend against cancer

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With age, telomeres, which are protective caps at the ends of chromosomes, naturally shorten, signaling ageing cells to stop dividing -- a crucial safeguard against cancer

Study finds new way of helping cells defend against cancer

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Study finds new way of helping cells defend against cancer

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