The cancer Alzheimer’s disease paradox

A paradoxical inverse correlation between cancer and Alzheimer’s disease has been repeatedly observed in epidemiological studies. While cancer and Alzheimer’s disease share common risk factors, most notably aging, the risk of Alzheimer’s disease in patients with cancer is significantly reduced, and the risk of cancer in patients with Alzheimer’s disease is halved. The convergence of two distinct disciplines, cancer and Alzheimer’s disease, offers an exciting and untapped opportunity to generate new ideas and to understand the fundamental mechanisms of risk and resilience in both diseases. The curious phenomenon of the inverse correlation between cancer and Alzheimer’s disease has the potential to drive innovation and help to identify actionable targets for novel clinical interventions for both diseases.