Cellular senescence: mechanisms and relevance to cancer and aging

Abstract excerpt

Cellular senescence is an irreversible cell cycle arrest induced by stresses such as telomere shortening and oncogene activation. It acts as a tumor suppressor mechanism that prevents the proliferation of potentially tumorigenic cells. Paradoxically, senescent stromal cells that arise in the tumor microenvironment have been shown to promote tumor progression. In addition, senescent cells that accumulate in vivo...