Cross-sectional study of epigenic age acceleration in non-Hispanic Black and non-Hispanic White survivors of childhood cancer

A cross-sectional study of 230 non-Hispanic Black and 1476 non-Hispanic White childhood cancer survivors withing the St Jude Lifetime Cohort investigated the impact of race and socioecomic factors on epigenetic age acceleration (EAA). The study found that race moderated the associations of EAA with cancer treatment exposures, and that racial disparity in EAA was partially mediated by social determinants of health. The authors conclude that increased EAA associated with treatment differed between non-Hispanic Black and non-Hispanic White survivors. Improving social support systems may mitigate socioeconomic disadvantages associated with even greater accelerated aging among non-Hispanic Black survivors.