One of the major concerns associated with telomere lengthening is the potential for increased cancer risk. Telomeres naturally shorten with each cell division and act as a tumor suppressor mechanism. Extending telomeres can allow cells to divide more and increase the risk of uncontrolled cell growth and cancer development. A study conducted by Johns Hopkins University challenged the idea that long telomeres prevent aging. Rather than protecting cells from aging, long telomeres help cells with age-related mutations last longer. This problem prepares the conditions for the occurrence of various types of cancer, and people with longer cell telomeres showed more signs of suffering from types of cancer such as Melanoma and Lymphoma.