The Super Seniors Study featured by the Canadian Cancer Society
From the article on the Canadian Cancer Society website:
About the super seniors project
Angela Brooks-Wilson , a researcher at the BC Cancer Agency and Simon Fraser University, and her team painstakingly gathered detailed information from 500 healthy people aged 85 to 109, mainly in the Vancouver area. The seniors provided medical, family and lifestyle information, as well as a blood sample, and were tested for physical and mental function. She and co-leader Dr. Denise Daley, of St. Paul’s Hospital and UBC, will compare the genes of the super seniors to those of other people, some who have cancer and some who don’t.
"We already know that many people who live to an incredibly healthy old age actually do have gene sequences that contribute to cancer in the general population, but for some reason they do not develop the disease. We suspect there is something that protects them from getting sick by overriding the cancer-causing genes," says Brooks-Wilson.
The ultimate goal of this research is to identify possible genetic “override switches,” which could eventually lead to the development of anti-cancer drugs. It's possible that such drugs, combined with a healthy lifestyle, could help other people to have a lower risk of getting cancer.
The study is accepting new super seniors from across Canada and internationally. If you are 85 or older and have never been diagnosed with cancer, cardiovascular disease or stroke, dementia, major lung disease or diabetes, we welcome you to participate in the research study. We also welcome anyone 100 years old or older, regardless of their health. Please contact the Study Coordinator: Ruth Thomas, by phone: 604-675-8151 or email: rthomas@bcgsc.ca
