June 23, 2026, 3:12 pm | Read time: 4 minutes
Are people aging biologically faster today than previous generations? Could this explain why certain types of cancer are increasingly occurring before age 55? A recent study provides initial answers while raising new questions.
Cancer is often considered a disease of aging. As the years go by, the risk automatically increases because cell damage accumulates over time, potentially triggering tumor formation. However, in recent decades, doctors and researchers have observed an increase in cancer cases among those under 55, including colon, lung, and uterine cancer.
The reasons for this are not yet fully understood. Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have a hypothesis. Could it be that today’s generation is biologically aging faster? That their bodies are “older” than their chronological age suggests? The results of their study were recently published in the journal “Nature Medicine.”1
Biological and Chronological Age Can Differ Significantly
Even if the candles on the birthday cake are still manageable, their glow can be deceiving. The view inside doesn’t necessarily match the number on the balloons. Inflammation, the ability to repair cells, the immune system, organs, metabolic processes, or changes in DNA regulation reveal one’s true condition. Researchers refer to this as biological age. The good news so far: A healthy lifestyle can slow this process. How we age and how quickly this process occurs is largely influenced by our lifestyle. The remaining 30 percent is determined by our genes. But the current study shows that the increased cancer risk from accelerated aging exists even independently of genetic factors.
Also interesting: Simple test shows in one minute if you are aging biologically fast
Health Data from Around 165,000 People Analyzed
To determine if younger generations are aging faster, the research team analyzed data from 154,169 adults under 55 from the UK Biobank and another 10,262 participants under 55 from the “All of Us” research program (USA). Using statistical models known as “Aging Clocks,” they assessed the degree of biological aging and the discrepancy with lived years.
Based on comprehensive information about age, gender, medical diagnoses (including cancer), blood values, and other biological measurements, as well as health and lifestyle information, they determined biological age. The researchers also examined how many cancer diagnoses were present for which types of cancer.
Younger Generations Age Biologically Faster
Younger generations are aging rapidly, though not visibly, according to the uncomfortable truth. This process occurs on two levels: systemic aging throughout the body and organ-specific aging in individual organs. People from the UK born between 1965 and 1974 showed 23 percent higher systemic aging than those born between 1950 and 1954.
There is an interesting difference between genders: While men in the British study often showed a higher baseline level of biological aging, the increase across generations was significantly steeper for women. A similar pattern emerged in the U.S. Participants born between 1990 and 1999 showed 92 percent higher systemic aging than those born between 1965 and 1969.
This acceleration was accompanied by an average eight percent increased risk of tumor formation, particularly lung, gastrointestinal, and uterine cancer. In more advanced stages, the risk was up to 15 percent. In the detailed examination of organ-specific aging processes, it was noted: The aging of the immune system can favor early lung cancer, while the aging of adipose tissue increases the likelihood of early colon cancer.
What Makes Us Age So Quickly?
The exact reasons remain elusive. “We currently do not have a definitive answer to the question of what causes the increase in cancer at a younger age worldwide. Studies like this help us understand the bigger picture and show that cancer can be influenced not only by changes in individual cells but also by broader changes throughout the body,” explains Dr. David Scott in a university statement.2
Modern environmental influences are suspected to play a significant role. These include smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, poor diet, or lack of exercise. However, these are just a few of many factors in a rapidly changing world. The research team aims to decipher in further studies how exactly environmental, lifestyle, and societal changes leave lasting biological marks.
What the Study Can Prove and What It Cannot
With around 165,000 people studied, the study has high statistical significance. However, it cannot prove that accelerated biological aging directly causes cancer. The study does provide evidence that not only chronological age but especially the biological condition of the body plays a role. Therefore, certain age markers may soon help identify younger people at increased risk earlier and implement targeted prevention measures.