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Review

Nature Reviews Cancer 8, 512–522 (1 July 2008) | doi:10.1038/nrc2440

Living on a break: cellular senescence as a DNA-damage response

Fabrizio d'Adda di Fagagna

Cellular senescence is associated with ageing and cancer in vivo and has a proven tumour-suppressive function. Common to both ageing and cancer is the generation of DNA damage and the engagement of the DNA-damage response pathways. In this Review, the diverse mechanisms that lead to DNA-damage generation and the activation of DNA-damage-response signalling pathways are discussed, together with the evidence for their contribution to the establishment and maintenance of cellular senescence in the context of organismal ageing and cancer development.