March 25, 2026, 10:30 a.m. - March 26, 2026, 5:45 p.m. NIA and NCI Workshop Cancer-Alzheimer’s Disease Inverse Correlation (CADIC) - From Biological Mechanisms to Therapeutic Potential online
Event Details
Purpose and Background
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, this NIA/NCI workshop will convene 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.
Registration
This workshop will be held virtually. Participants can register for the workshop through: CADIC website.
Agenda
A draft agenda is shown below. Check back for updates.
Note: This agenda is in Eastern Time.
Day 1 (Wednesday, March 25)
10:30 a.m. Welcome and Opening Remarks, Richard J Hodes, NIA, Jennie Larkin, NIA, and Daniel Gallahan, National Cancer Institute (NCI)
10:50 a.m. Workshop Overview and Logistics, Rebekah Feng, NIA
11:00 a.m. Session 1 | Epidemiological Evidence and Statistical Considerations Moderator: Suzana Petanceska, NIA
11:10 a.m. Investigating the Link Between Cancer and Neurodegeneration Jane A. Driver, Harvard Medical School/ Dana Farber Cancer Institute/ VA Boston Healthcare System
11:45 a.m. Disentangling the Cancer-Dementia Relationship: Lessons from an Epidemiological Paradox, Lindsay Kobayashi, University of Michigan
12:20 p.m. The Inverse Association Between ADRD and Cancer: Evidence from Neuropathological Studies, Erin Abner, University of Kentucky
12:55 p.m. Q&A/moderated discussion
1:15 p.m. Lunch
1:35 p.m. Session 2 | Mechanisms (Part 1) Moderator: Malgorzata Klauzinska, NCI
1:40 p.m. Mutation-Specific Effects of Clonal Hematopoiesis on Alzheimer's Disease Pathophysiology, Katherine King, Baylor College of Medicine
2:15 p.m. A Mechanism Driving the Inverse Association Between Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and Cancer: Amyloid Beta-40 Prevents Aging Stress-Induced Mitophagy in AD T-Cells to Improve Anti-Tumor Immunity, Besim Ogretmen, Medical University of South Carolina
2:50 p.m. Microglia in Alzheimer's Disease and Glioblastoma, Dolores Hambardzumyan, University of Pennsylvania
3:25 p.m. Q&A/moderated discussion
3:50 p.m. Adjourn Day 1
Day 2 (Thursday, March 26)
10:00 a.m. Welcome and Overview for Day 2, Rebekah Feng, NIA
10:10 a.m. Session 3 | Mechanisms (Part 2) Moderator: Laurie Ryan, NIA
10:15 a.m. Elucidating the Role of the Microbiota in the Antagonism Between Cancer and Degenerative Aging Diseases, Christopher Kaleta, Kiel University/University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein
10:50 a.m. Lessons About Cancer and Alzheimer's from the Study of Down Syndrome, Joaquin Espinosa, University of Colorado, Denver/Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome
11:25 a.m. Melanoma Metastasis as an Inherited Disorder Suppressed by the APOE4 Alzheimer Variant, Sohail Tavazoie, The Rockefeller University
12:00 p.m. Q&A/moderated discussion
12:20 p.m. Break
12:35 p.m. Session 4 | From Mechanisms to Therapeutic Innovations Moderator: Cerise Elliott, NIA
12:40 p.m. From Data to Knowledge: AI, Clinical Data and Multi-Omics for AD Diagnostics and Therapeutics, Marina Sirota, University of California, San Francisco
1:15 p.m. Clinical Trial Design Considerations to Test Innovative Therapies Developed from the Cancer-AD Inverse Correlation, Mark Gilbert, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
1:50 p.m. Hallmarks in Reverse and the Cancer-Alzheimer's Paradox: A Systems Biology View, Andrew Saykin, Indiana University
2:25 p.m. Q&A/moderated discussion
2:45 p.m. Break
2:50 p.m. Session 5 | Breakout Group Discussions
4:00 p.m. Presentations/Reporting from Breakout Group Discussions
4:30 p.m. Open Discussion of Future Directions
5:30 p.m. Closing Remarks and Adjourn Workshop
Contact Information
Please contact NIA Program Director, Dr. Rebekah Feng (Rebekah.feng@nih.gov) or NCI Program Director, Dr. Malgorzata Klauzinska (malgorzata.klauzinska@nih.gov) with any questions about the workshop.