How breast cancer treatment affects biological aging and heart health
Official title: Epigenetics, accelerated aging, and cardiovascular health during breast cancer treatment
Funded at University of Washington · NIH-11304605 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether breast cancer treatment speeds up biological aging and how that relates to heart strength and fitness in women getting treatment.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Washington NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project start | March 17, 2025 |
| Project end | February 28, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $145,716 |
| NIH project number | 5R21CA300956-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11304605 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Women currently receiving or recently treated for breast cancer who are willing to wear an activity monitor and provide blood samples for biological aging tests are ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without breast cancer or those not undergoing cancer treatment are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
What this research studies
If you join, researchers will measure your biological “age” using DNA methylation tests to see signs of accelerated aging. They will track your daily activity with a wearable accelerometer and measure your heart function and exercise capacity during and after treatment. The team will compare these measures to find links between faster biological aging and declines in fitness or heart performance. That information could point to practical steps, like increasing physical activity, to protect heart health during treatment.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could reveal ways to preserve heart function and fitness during breast cancer treatment, such as targeted lifestyle recommendations.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies in healthy populations show physical activity can reduce epigenetic aging, but applying this approach to heart and fitness changes during breast cancer treatment is new.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Washington
Seattle, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Vasbinder, Alexi L — University of Washington
- Study coordinator: Vasbinder, Alexi L
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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How breast cancer treatment affects heart health and aging
This study is looking at how breast cancer treatments might affect heart health and aging in women, and it aims to find out if staying active can help improve heart function and overall well-being during treatment.
-
Long-Term Aging and Functional Changes After Breast Cancer and Its Treatments
This study looks at how aging and daily functioning change over time in older women who have had breast cancer and its treatments.
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Cognitive aging in long-term breast cancer survivors
This research explores how aging affects thinking and memory in people who survived breast cancer many years after treatment, focusing on those 65 and older.
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Aging, DNA Methylation, and Cardio Risk in Breast Cancer Survivors
A study to help breast cancer survivors understand how aging and DNA changes might raise the chance of heart disease.
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Identifying organ blood biomarkers of aging and their effects on heart health
A research project aims to find blood-based signs of aging in different organs and understand how they influence heart health.
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How breast cancer and its treatment affect long-term aging and physical function
This project looks at whether breast cancer and its treatments lead to faster biological aging and physical decline in older women who survived breast cancer.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.