How do people live beyond 110? Abundance of cancer-killing cells might be key
A study published in Cell Reports suggests that supercentenarians possess an abundance of rare 'killer T cells' that may help fight cancer and age-related diseases. Researchers hope this discovery will provide insights into how to improve immune health in the general population.
Why it matters
Understanding the biological mechanisms of extreme longevity could lead to breakthroughs in cancer treatment and geriatric medicine.
Katherine Bourzac is a freelance journalist in San Francisco, California.
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Bluesky Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Whatsapp X Save article View saved research Misao Okawa celebrates her 117th birthday in 2015. Credit: Buddhika Weerasinghe/Getty
People who live to 110 years and older have large populations of a rare type of immune cell that can kill cancer 1 , finds a study published today in Cell Reports . It is possible that such cells, called killer T cells, might help people to live to extraordinarily long ages by fighting off cancer — although the authors of the study acknowledge that this has yet to be proved, and so far, they aren’t sure exactly what these cells do.
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