Epidemiological studies consistently report an inverse correlation between cancer and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The risk of AD in patients with cancer is reduced by 25-35%. Conversely, the risk of cancer is halved in patients with AD. A cancer history is associated with a measurable delay in AD onset in a dose-dependent manner, as individuals who previously had two cancers of different origins showed a later mean age of AD onset compared to individuals who previously had one or no prior cancer.
The inverse correlation between cancer and AD is further corroborated by neuropathological findings. For example, a prior cancer diagnosis was associated with a reduced burden of AD pathology. Studies of postmortem brain tissues collected from patients with glioblastoma showed that regions with amyloid beta and phosphorylated tau deposits were associated with little to no cortical tumor cell infiltration.
Currently, a critical gap exists between the repeatedly observed inverse association of the two diseases in epidemiological studies and a mechanistic understanding of this compelling phenomenon.
To address this knowledge gap, NCI and the National Institute on Aging (NIA) held a workshop on March 25-26, 2026. This meeting convened experts in AD, cancer biology, statistics, epidemiology, and translational/clinical research to discuss this topic and the challenges faced by this nascent field.
Ultimately, by connecting these distinct disciplines, the hope is to elucidate the complex mechanisms that underly the inverse correlation and uncover insights into novel therapeutic interventions for these devasting diseases.
Documents from the Workshop
Recordings from the Workshop
- Welcome and Opening Remarks
- Session 1: Epidemiological Evidence and Statistical Considerations
- Session 2: Mechanisms (Part 1)
- Welcome and Overview for Day 2
- Session 3: Mechanisms (Part 2)
- Session 4: From Mechanisms to Therapeutic Innovations
Contacts for the Workshop
For additional information about the CADIC Workshop, please contact Dr. Gosia Klauzinska in DCB or Dr. Rebekah Feng in NIA.