Telomere Length and Cancer

Telomeres, the protective caps at the ends of human chromosomes, shorten with each round of cell division, representing a counter in the form of a biological clock. Beyond 50 to 60 divisions, the protective function of the telomeres will become unsustainable, and cells will usually experience senescence and death. Loss of cell function is manifested in the form of aging and the onset of diseases, including cancer. Cancer cells have found a way around this by overexpressing an enzyme, called telomerase, which counteracts the telomere shortening, thus allowing the neoplastic cells to keep replicating. This narrative review outlines why telomeres undergo shortening and how cancer cells exploit and take advantage of that phenomenon. The fact that malignant cells derail the biological telomere clock could be targeted for therapeutic benefit. The review also highlights the diverse telomere-based strategies explored in cancer treatment.