Researchers at Duke-NUS Medical School have uncovered a new connection between ageing muscle and cancer progression. Published in Nature Communications, the study shows that ageing muscles release fewer extracellular vesicles—tiny particles that enable communication between cells—and that the composition of these vesicles changes with age, reducing protective signals that help suppress tumour growth. Importantly, exercise appears to restore some of these beneficial effects.

The findings are particularly relevant to sarcopenia, the age-related loss of muscle mass and strength that affects nearly one-third of adults over 60 in Singapore. Working with collaborators from Singapore General Hospital and Cardiff University, the researchers found that muscles affected by sarcopenia produce fewer extracellular vesicles and contain lower levels of miR-7a-5p, a microRNA involved in regulating gene expression and suppressing tumour growth.

The team also discovered that extracellular vesicle release is controlled by a biological pathway that declines with age but can be reactivated through physical exercise. According to senior author Assistant Professor Tang Hong-Wen of Duke-NUS Medical School, weakening muscles alter the messages sent to other cells, creating conditions that may promote tumour development.

Clinicians involved in the study highlighted the importance of maintaining muscle health through regular resistance and aerobic exercise, not only to preserve mobility and independence but also to support overall health and potentially reduce cancer risk.

The research establishes a direct biological link between aged muscle and tumour growth, revealing a muscle-to-tumour communication pathway that could become a target for future therapies. Researchers hope their findings will encourage greater investment in healthy ageing programmes and exercise-based interventions.

Next, the team plans to validate the findings in human samples and investigate whether extracellular vesicles and their cargo, particularly miR-7a-5p, could serve as biomarkers for assessing cancer risk associated with sarcopenia.

The study was conducted under the HEAL (Healthy Aging, Executive Function and Ambulatory Longevity) programme and was supported by multiple Singapore research agencies and funding bodies, including the Ministry of Education, the National Research Foundation, and the National Medical Research Council.

Source: https://www.duke-nus.edu.sg/newshub/media-releases/exercise-cancer-protection