Neurodegeneration and Cancer Comorbidity Studies
Summary
Neurodegeneration and cancer comorbidity studies explore the epidemiological and mechanistic links between disorders characterised by progressive loss of neuronal function and conditions of uncontrolled cellular proliferation. Large‐scale population analyses frequently reveal inverse associations in which a history of malignancy corresponds with lower incidence of neurodegenerative disease, and vice versa. At the molecular level, pathways governing cell survival, apoptosis, DNA repair and protein homeostasis exhibit opposing dysregulations: enhanced resistance to cell death in tumours contrasts with excessive neuronal apoptosis in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, while accumulation of misfolded proteins in neurodegeneration may engage immune surveillance that impedes tumour growth. Recent work has highlighted metabolic intermediates and immune modulators as key bridges between these disease states, suggesting that shared genetic variants and epigenetic modifications exert bidirectional effects. Insights into these interactions hold promise for novel therapeutic strategies, such as repurposing antineoplastic agents for neuroprotection or exploiting neurodegenerative pathways to suppress tumour progression. These advances carry global significance for risk stratification and patient management in ageing populations facing both rising cancer burdens and increasing prevalence of dementia.
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Neurodegeneration and Cancer Comorbidity Studies publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in neurodegeneration and cancer comorbidity studies across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Comorbidity: Coexistence of two or more diseases or medical conditions in an individual.
Inverse comorbidity: A phenomenon in which the presence of one disease is associated with a decreased risk of another.
Mendelian randomisation: A statistical method using genetic variants as proxies to infer causal effects between risk factors and disease outcomes.
Tauopathy: A class of neurodegenerative diseases characterised by pathological aggregation of tau protein in the brain.
References
- Antineoplastics for treating Alzheimer's disease and dementia: Evidence from preclinical and observational studies. Medicinal Research Reviews (2024).
- Mendelian randomization and transcriptomic analysis reveal an inverse causal relationship between Alzheimer’s disease and cancer. Journal of Translational Medicine (2023).
- Nasal administration of mesenchymal stem cells prevents accelerated age-related tauopathy after chemotherapy in mice. Immunity & Ageing (2023).
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