Scientists have uncovered an unexpected pattern in how melanoma, a serious form of skin cancer, spreads with age. In a recent study, cancer metastasis was lowest in young mice, increased dramatically in middle-aged mice, and then declined again in very old mice. Researchers believe the difference is linked to a specialized group of immune cells that help keep cancer in a dormant state and prevent it from spreading to other parts of the body. The findings challenge the long-held assumption that cancer becomes progressively more aggressive with age and could lead to new strategies for preventing metastasis by harnessing the body’s natural immune defenses.
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