Immune and inflammatory responses to DNA damage in cancer and aging.

Genome instability is a hallmark of both cancer and aging processes. Beyond cell-autonomous responses, it is known that DNA damage also elicits systemic mechanisms aimed at favoring survival and damaged cells clearance. Among these mechanisms, immune activation and NF-κB-mediated inflammation play central roles in organismal control of DNA damage. We focus herein on the different experimental evidences that have allowed gaining mechanistic insight about this relationship. We also describe the functional consequences of defective immune function in cancer development and age-related alterations. Finally, we discuss different intervention strategies based on enhancing immunity or on the modulation of the inflammatory response to improve organism homeostasis in cancer and aging.