MTOR and cancer: For example, overexpression of ATG5, a protein required for autophagosome formation, extends lifespan in mice,34 but ATG5 also has pro‐apoptotic functions that may also contribute to longevity,35 and that may also contribute to longevity by protecting against cancer, particularly in cancer‐prone laboratory mouse strains.36 Various studies have reported longevity following interventions which inhibit mTOR, a known autophagy mediator, offering further evidence that autophagy plays a central role in aging.28, 33, 37