Epidemiological studies show an inverse association between Alzheimer’s
disease (AD) and cancer, such that the risk of developing cancer is significantly lower in
patients with AD, while participants with a history of cancer in the past have a lower risk of
developing AD. In cancer, cell regulation mechanisms are disrupted with augmentation of
cell survival and/or proliferation, whereas conversely, AD is associated with increased
neuronal death. Here we discuss the possibility that perturbations of mechanisms involved
in cell survival/death regulation could be involved in both disorders. Mechanisms that
induce changes in the activity of molecules with key roles in determining the decision to
“repair and live”- or “die” could play a role in the pathogenesis of the two disorders. As
examples, the roles of p53, PARP-1, the Wnt signaling pathway, and the process of adult
neurogenesis are discussed as potential candidates that, speculatively, may explain an
inverse association between AD and cancer.
Keywords: Alzheimer, cancer, neurogenesis, p53, PARP-1, Wnt signaling
pathway.
