New Frontiers in Cancer and Healthy Aging: A Scientific Forum

Aging is the main risk factor for the onset of cancer. Not only the accumulation of genetic mutations, but also the deterioration of the immune system and the cumulative exposure to different risk factors contribute to the increase in the number of new cancer diagnoses as age advances. These are the themes at the heart of the "New Frontiers in Cancer and Healthy Aging" Scientific Forum, organized by the Ibsa Foundation for scientific research in collaboration with the University of Naples Federico II, which will gather in Naples on April 18th scientists and experts of international fame to promote a reflection on the multiple connections between cancer and age and a greater awareness on the importance of lifestyles for healthy aging. Despite a constant increase in cancer cases among young people, statistics confirm that the highest incidence of neoplasms is still recorded among the elderly, demonstrating that cancer is a pathology typical of aging and, at least in part, related to age. Recent data reveal that in 2022, more than 4 million people in Europe received a cancer diagnosis, of which about 76% were aged 60 or older. The extension of the average lifespan and the progressive aging of the population represent, in fact, the main reason for the seemingly unstoppable growth of the total cases of oncological pathologies in the world. "We are convinced that global challenges, such as those related to demographic aging and the constant growth of oncological pathologies in the world, require concrete and shared responses based on a deep knowledge of the phenomena and their impact on the future of our society." – states Dr. Silvia Misiti, Director of the Ibsa Foundation for scientific research – "It is with this spirit that Ibsa Foundation has been promoting Scientific Forums for over 10 years, unique moments of reflection and meeting among some of the most authoritative voices in the international scientific panorama capable of creating interconnections between different areas of study and research and of promoting a scientific culture that is authoritative and accessible to all. A commitment that over the years has resulted in the organization of 22 Forums that have involved 170 speakers from 40 different countries and a wide participation of the public among health professionals, young researchers, and experts." "The aim of the meeting in Naples is to explore the complex connections between aging and cancer, both associated with numerous biological changes partly closely related, shedding light on the mechanisms that contribute to its development" – explains Prof. Domenico Salvatore, Md. PhD. Professor of Endocrinology, Department of Public Health of the University of Naples Federico II – "From a multidisciplinary perspective, experts will particularly discuss the influence of immunology, inflammation, and the microbiome on the treatment and clinical impact of cancer." The "New Frontiers in Cancer and Healthy Aging" Scientific Forum, scheduled for April 18, 2024, from 9:00 am to 2:30 pm at the Aula Magna of the SS. Marcellino and Festo Complex of the University of Naples Federico II, is free, open to the public, and will be held in Italian. A Coffee Break and Lunch will be offered for all participants.