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Targeting epigenetic age to prevent cancer

Ageing and cancer development are tightly interwoven processes. Here, we discuss preventing cancer by reducing or reverting epigenetic age. We provide an outline for how this can be achieved by targeting the mechanisms that drive DNA methylation clocks.

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Fig. 1: The deconstruction of DNA methylation clocks.

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Acknowledgements

We thank G. Raddatz, C. Falckenhayn and E. Grönniger for critical comments on the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Frank Lyko.

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Competing interests

M.W. is an employee of Beiersdorf AG, F.L. received consultation fees from Beiersdorf AG.

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Winnefeld, M., Lyko, F. Targeting epigenetic age to prevent cancer. Nat Rev Bioeng 1, 460–461 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44222-023-00046-4

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