American researchers have discovered a new genetic method to identify the smokers which can get lung cancer, according to a study recently published in the Science Transnational Medicine.
The authors of this study have learned that the genes involved in a specific mechanism for cancer development, named PI3K, activates some cells in the breathing ways of the smoker which later can transform into cancer cells.
This genetic activity can rapidly specify the appearance of lung cancer and it could be reversed through chemotherapy sessions that targets the mechanism, researchers from the Boston University explained.
” The results of this study are important because cells can be easily nurtured from patients without affecting lung tissues where normally cancer cells can develop” said doctor Avrum Spira, the study’s main author.
The verify these results, american researchers have measured the biochemical activity of this genetic mechanism at cells level on smokers that already suffered from lung cancer but also on people without the disease.
” We noticed that this genetic mechanism is minimized at the air ways level of smokers, which present a high risk of getting lung cancer when their pre-cancer condition regressed following preventive chemotherapy – fact that reduces the risk of cancer ”
Smoking is the main cause for lung cancer in the United States, being responsible for more than 90% of cases.
Although 10-20% of smokers get lung cancer, until this study there were no means of identifying the patients with the highest risk of getting this disease from the 90 million smokers and ex smokers in the US.
