Transcriptomic entropy—a measure of molecular disorder in gene expression—increases predictably during aging and is elevated in cancers, correlating with poor prognosis. This pattern appears tissue-specific and may represent a shared molecular signature of aging and malignant progression across diverse organs.
Key Points
- Transcriptomic entropy rises in cancer but shows tissue-specific patterns during normal aging
- High entropy predicts poor survival across multiple cancer types independently
- Entropy-associated genes favor developmental programs over metabolic function
Longevity Analysis
Transcriptomic entropy functions as a measurable marker of cellular disorganization that accompanies both aging and cancer development. Rather than treating these as separate processes, this research suggests they share a common mechanism: progressive loss of coherent gene expression that shifts cells away from stable metabolic function toward unstable, proliferative states. For practitioners, this provides a quantifiable intermediate target—tissues showing rising entropy before overt disease represent an earlier intervention window. The finding that entropy patterns differ by tissue type indicates that organ-specific monitoring, not one-size-fit-all biomarkers, will be necessary for early detection and prevention strategies.
Original published by Wiley Aging Cell, by Gabriel Arantes dos Santos, José Pedro Castro, Gabriela D. A. Guardia, Filipe F. dos Santos, Alexander Birbrair, Pedro A. F. Galante .