Ashani Weeraratna, PhD, Johns Hopkins University
Melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer, occurs more frequently in older adults—but scientists are still uncovering how aging affects the body’s ability to fight it. In a new study published in Aging & Cancer, researchers found that melanoma doesn’t just grow in the skin—it reshapes the bone marrow, where immune cells are made. In older mice, tumors altered the balance of immune cells and disrupted how these cells process iron and fats, two key factors that influence cell survival.
While aging alone led to iron buildup and fat changes in the bone marrow, the presence of melanoma further rewired these metabolic pathways, leaving immune cells more vulnerable to a specific type of cell death known as ferroptosis. Importantly, this increased sensitivity suggests a potential therapeutic opportunity: treatments that trigger ferroptosis may be particularly effective in older individuals with melanoma. These findings shed new light on how aging and cancer interact at a systemic level and point toward more tailored treatment strategies for older patients.
