The Study
Rare genetic associations with human lifespan in UK Biobank are enriched for oncogenic genes
This study looked at the genes and lifespans of hundreds of thousands of people to see which gene changes were more common in those who died earlier. It found several genes linked to shorter life, especially ones involved in cancer. But it can't say for sure that the genes caused the shorter lives — just that they were connected.
Analysis score
Maximum 72 for a cohort study.
Where the score came from
Some people have broken or rare gene versions that can make them get sick earlier, especially from cancer, and not live as long.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 552 / 100
Quality score
Groups of people are followed over time to see who develops an outcome. Strong for identifying risk factors and associations, but cannot prove causation as firmly as RCTs.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes, these gene changes are rare but very impactful—carriers may die years earlier, mostly from preventable or treatable diseases like cancer or Alzheimer’s.
- 2People with rare bad versions of genes like TET2, TP53, BRCA1/2, or SRSF2 died earlier: TET2 (2.3x more likely), TP53 (3.9x), BRCA1 (2.2x), BRCA2 (2.4x), and SRSF2 (5.8x).
- 3The APOE gene’s ε4 version also made people die earlier, especially from heart or brain diseases.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Nature Communications
Year
2025
Authors
Junyoung Park, A. Peña-Tauber, Lia Talozzi, M. Greicius, Y. Le Guen
Related Content
Claims (6)
Your genes might play a role in when you die — not just from diseases, but in how long you naturally live.
People with rare harmful changes in the TP53 gene tend to live shorter lives, mostly because they’re much more likely to get certain cancers like breast or blood cancer.
Having a certain version of a gene called APOE — especially the ε4 type — might mean people of European background don’t live as long, mainly because it raises the risk of heart problems and Alzheimer’s.
If you're of European descent and carry a rare broken version of the TET2 gene, you might not live as long — studies suggest these people are more than twice as likely to die earlier than those without it, possibly because of a blood-related aging process linked to cancer.
People with rare harmful changes in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes tend to live shorter lives, mostly because they’re more likely to get cancers like breast and ovarian cancer.
People with rare harmful changes in the SRSF2 gene tend to die earlier — about 5.8 times more likely — than those without it, and this might be because of a blood condition that can lead to leukemia.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.