Abstract: As the global population is aging, the incidence and mortality of cancer in the elderly population continue to increase. Tumor metastasis is one of the major influencing factor of cancer prognosis, and the process of tumor metastasis in the elderly patients is significantly affected by aging-related biological changes compared with younger patients. This paper analyzes the effects of aging on the mechanisms of tumor metastasis, including epithelial-mesenchymal transition, vascular aging, immune senescence, extracellular matrix remodeling and metabolic senescence. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition plays a key role in cancer cell metastasis, and aging-associated secretory phenotype promotes this transition and enhances tumor cell invasiveness. Vascular aging weakens vascular structure and makes it easier for cancer cells to penetrate. Aging of the immune system reduces anti-tumor immune surveillance capacity and increases metastatic risk. Remodeling of the extracellular matrix and metabolic senescence provide suitable environments for the growth and spread of tumor cells. In-depth understanding of these mechanisms can help optimize personalized therapeutic strategies for elderly patients with cancer and provide a theoretical basis for the application of anti-aging interventions in cancer control and prevention.

Key words: aging, tumor metastasis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, vascular aging, immune senescence, extracellular matrix remodeling, metabolic senescence