A new study published in The Lancet Digital Health suggests that biological age of different organs could predict a person's risk of diseases such as cancer, dementia, and heart disease than their actual chronological age. The research analyzed long-term data from Whitehall II study, which had been followed by over 10,000 British adults for more than 35 years.

The blood plasma samples were collected between 1997 and 1999 from participants between ages 45 to 69. Researchers have now examined a follow up data from 6,235 participants, who were by then aged 65 to 89. This was done to see how aging of specific organ may correlate with the development of diseases over two decades.

What Organs Were Studied?

The study measured the biological age of nine key organs, including:

• Heart
• Blood vessels
• Liver
• Immune system
• Pancreas
• Kidneys
• Lungs
• Intestines
• Brain

The researchers were able to find that different organs aged at different rates in different people. In many of the cases multiple organs showed signs of faster aging within the same individual. What is important to note is that those with accelerated aging in certain organs had a higher risk of developing 30 out of the 40 age-related diseases the study had tracked.

Organ Aging And Disease Risk

Some organ-disease connections were expected—people with rapidly aging lungs were more likely to develop respiratory diseases, and those with aging kidneys had an increased risk of kidney-related conditions. However, the study also found less obvious associations.

For example, individuals with fast-aging kidneys were more prone to diseases in other organs, such as the liver and pancreas. Additionally, multiple fast-aging organs were linked to an increased risk of kidney disease.

One of the most surprising findings was that dementia risk was not best predicted by an aging brain but rather by the immune system’s biological age. This suggests that factors such as chronic inflammation and immune health may play a critical role in neurodegenerative diseases.

What Is Organ Specific Blood Tests?

The study also highlights the important of the potential of developing blood tests that could assess the biological age of specific organs. Unlike previous complex methods that measured the organ health, this new approach could make things simple to detect early signs of disease.

The leader author of the study Mika Kivimaki, who is also a professor at the University College London's Faculty of Brain sciences pointed out that such tests could be helpful when it comes to guiding personalized healthcare. In a news release, Kivimaki said, "They could advise whether a person needs to take better care of a particular organ and potentially provide an early warning signal that they may be at risk of a particular disease."

The study reinforces the idea that aging does not affect all organs equally and that looking beyond chronological age could offer better insights into disease prevention. By understanding which organs are aging more rapidly, medical professionals may be able to recommend targeted interventions for individuals at higher risk of specific conditions. Future advancements in organ-specific blood testing could revolutionize how we detect and manage age-related diseases, potentially leading to more personalized healthcare strategies.

Endometriosis is a chronic disease affecting about 1 in 10 women worldwide. Diagnosis and treatment remain challenging, particularly for women with severe pain and other complications.

Now, US researchers have developed a targeted nanotherapy that showed promising results against endometriosis in early testing.

Scientists at Washington State University found that the treatment reduced endometriosis lesions, symptoms and pain sensitivity after a single dose in mice.

The findings were published in Advanced Healthcare Materials. Researchers hope to eventually test the treatment in humans.

How Does The Drug Work?

Also read: Endometriosis Can Take Years To Diagnose But This AI Tool Can Identify Its Signs In 18 Milliseconds

The drug, niclosamide, was previously used to treat intestinal tapeworm infections in humans and is still used in animals.

Earlier research found that niclosamide could reduce endometriosis lesions and inflammation. However, it is not suitable for long-term use, limiting its potential as a treatment for a chronic condition.

To overcome this, researchers developed a nanotherapy that delivers niclosamide directly to cells associated with endometriosis.

“We found the disease-specific immune cell, and then we had a drug, but we couldn’t target the cell with the drug alone,” said Kanako Hayashi, professor at WSU’s School of Molecular Biosciences.

“So we used this nanocarrier that delivers the drug specifically to the disease site,” Hayashi said.

Single Dose Reduced Lesions In Mice

The team used a nanosized molecule called a dendrimer to bind with niclosamide and deliver it in a more soluble form.

In mice, a single injection reduced the size and number of lesions and lowered pain sensitivity.

“Although we still need to clear multiple phases, this study is telling us the efficacy is strong, and this nanocarrier is stable, so far, for two weeks—and we think we can go longer,” Hayashi said.

If the treatment remains stable for longer periods, researchers believe it could potentially be given less frequently. Hayashi said a monthly injection could be possible in the future, but this would depend on further testing.

READ: Endometriosis Taught Me To Always Listen To My Body, Says Model Padma Lakshmi

Can It Be Used In Humans?

Not yet. The treatment has only been tested in mice and must undergo further safety and efficacy testing before human trials.

Researchers also do not yet know whether it would ultimately be given as an injection or IV infusion.

What Is Endometriosis?

Endometriosis affects an estimated 190 million women worldwide. It occurs when tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus.

It can cause severe pelvic pain, painful periods, pain during sex and infertility. Symptoms are sometimes dismissed as a “bad period,” contributing to delays in diagnosis.

There is currently no cure, although treatments can help manage symptoms.

How Is Endometriosis Treated?

Treatment depends on symptoms, disease severity and fertility goals.

Hormonal medicines can help control pain and disease activity but may cause side effects and can affect fertility while being used.

Painkillers, including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, may help manage discomfort.

Laparoscopic surgery can remove lesions and endometriotic cysts and may help restore pelvic anatomy. It can also improve fertility in some women, although the disease can recur.

Lifestyle measures such as regular exercise, stress management and dietary changes may also support symptom management.

Lung development of the fetus depends on the physical and genetic health of the parents.

At birth, breathing begins with air from the environment, containing oxygen and other gases, and is influenced by known and unknown forces of nature. The air then passes through well-developed nostrils, which regulate the air temperature and prevent foreign bodies from entering the body and help protect against diseases.

Breath travels through the nasal passages, sinuses, pharynx (throat), larynx (voice box), trachea (breathing tubes), bronchi, small airways, air sacs, interstitial membrane, into thin-walled blood vessels that transport oxygen and collect gases and other substances to be expelled from the body.

The diaphragm, the muscle that separates the lungs from the abdomen, is the most powerful breathing apparatus.

The lungs in the early stages of life undergo dramatic changes from newborn→ infancy→ childhood→ puberty→ teenage→ adults→ middle age→ seniors. Factors influencing lung health risks keep changing with age, depending on genetics, environment & external factors.

• Genetics or abnormalities – disorders at birth, transmitted from parents. Stress, environment, nutritional deficits, and accidents play an important role in lung and airway development. Also, anatomical abnormalities of the airways since birth, whether corrected or correctable or left alone.

• Allergy—genetic or acquired is lifelong unless well managed

• Chronic health conditions – Asthma can occur during childhood, pregnancy, post-pregnancy, or later in life and is generally manageable. Diabetes can develop during childhood, in young adulthood, or later in life, but it can be managed effectively. Hypertension, including pulmonary hypertension, can occur at any age and may be caused by blood clots, underlying diseases, primary conditions, or genetic factors.

• Environmental factors and unhealthy habits – smoking, pollution, gases, drugs, near-drowning. Recreational drugs, or side effects of medications used for diseases of the body, can have a telling effect on the lungs and airways.

• Nutrition – inadequate nutrition of mother and child can cause damage till old age

• Occupational lung disease – at any stage – workplace, smoking, birds, pets, pollution, construction activity, dusty atmospheres and travel, which may cause difficulty in breathing till later in life, leading to chronic obstructive lung disease that may cause morbidity.

• Infections – Can occur during childhood or throughout life, affecting both healthy individuals and those with reduced immune function, which may be due to co-existing diseases, medications that suppress the immune system to prevent rejection of transplanted organs, congenital immune deficiencies, or acquired immune deficiencies resulting from medications, external factors, or underlying diseases.

• Prophylactic medication, vaccines, and early treatment of airway diseases help in later life.

• Autoimmune diseases–arthritis, thyroid, etc.- where the body's defense mechanism has become rogue and fights itself, can develop from childhood till late in life.

• Accidents – happen at any age, damaging the breathing apparatus and requiring emergency treatment

• Cancer in any part of the body, including radiation, may affect the lungs at any age

• Body’s failure of in-built Immunity (innate) or acquired immunity mechanism; sunlight is nature’s gift to mankind; it improves lung resistance at all ages

• Snoring as an indicator for suspected obstructive sleep apnea

For Better Lung Health

• Exercise – yoga, sports, walking, physical and breathing exercises help to improve the performance of the respiratory tract throughout life

• Education – helps in understanding the causes, prevention, and timely treatment. It helps in averting damage to the airways in the future.

• Availability of health care facilities in urban & rural areas – can make a difference in the development, prevention, and treatment of respiratory disorders.

• Breastfeeding of the baby is important as it helps in the development and growth of the lungs, immunity, and fighting against damaging forces in nature, in the form of bacteria, viruses, fungi, prions, and a horde of known and unknown mechanisms which harm airways. Cough and sneeze reflexes begin to develop, which are powerful forces used to throw out unwanted particles and organisms from the airways.

The lungs and airways perform non-respiratory functions of protecting the body against harmful insults, both from within and external threats, and it also protects against insults received from other organs of the body. The lungs have a powerful defense mechanism protecting the body and also have hormonal, physical, and immunological defense mechanisms.

A small lump in the neck is easy to overlook, especially when there is no pain. In many cases, it has a simple explanation, such as an infection or a swollen lymph node. Thyroid nodules are also common, and most of them are not cancerous.

The thyroid is a small gland at the front of the neck. When cancer develops in the thyroid, a lump or swelling may sometimes be the first noticeable change. It may remain painless, which is one reason people tend to wait before getting it checked.

What changes are worth noticing?

The way a lump changes over time can provide an important clue. A swelling that suddenly becomes larger, feels harder, remains in place for several weeks deserves attention.

Other changes can include persistent hoarseness, difficulty swallowing, a feeling of pressure in the neck or, less commonly, difficulty breathing. Swollen lymph nodes on the side of the neck can also occur. These symptoms are not specific to thyroid cancer and may be related to other causes, but they should not be dismissed if they persist.

Also read: Thyroid Medicine Recall Gets US FDA’s Highest Risk Rating: What To Know

How is the lump checked?

A doctor will first examine the neck and assess the size and location of the swelling. An ultrasound is often used to look more closely at the thyroid and any nodules present.

If a nodule has features that call for further investigation, a fine-needle aspiration may be advised. A small sample of cells is taken with a thin needle and examined to determine whether further treatment or monitoring is required.

When is it time to see a doctor?

A painless lump does not automatically mean cancer, and discovering a thyroid nodule is not a reason to panic. At the same time, a swelling that stays for over three weeks, grows or is accompanied by changes in swallowing or voice should be evaluated.

Early assessment can help identify whether the lump is related to the thyroid, an infection or another condition, and whether any follow-up is needed.

By Dr Akshat Malik, Senior Consultant, Head & Neck Oncology, Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, Delhi