Tumor Senescence

The central interpretation is that tumor senescence is real but may not restrain long-term tumor growth. Tumor cells can enter a non-replicative senescent state despite tumor growth often being defined by sustained proliferation. Senescence markers have been reported to increase during tumor progression even as tumors keep growing. Senescence may be induced by telomere shortening, DNA damage, oxidative stress, or oncogene-associated stress responses. The hierarchical model allows senescence to remain present in growing cancers if cancer stem cells continue expanding.