Lung cancer for non-smokers, the guilt of a gene
A gene is responsible for lung cancer in non-smokers
Research sheds light on the possible genetic origin of lung tumors in their lives in those who have never smoked a cigarette or almost
lung-geneMILANO – Sick of lung cancer and had never touched a cigarette is possible. But there is a genetic explanation. The ‘fault’ is a gene, the ‘GPC5. Scientists believe that a low activity of this gene is responsible for the disease.
STUDY – Researchers at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in New York have taken DNA samples from 754 volunteers who had smoked more than 100 cigarettes in their entire life. Following the findings were analyzed to find genetic differences that support the hypothesis of an increased risk to contract the disease. He then proceeded to collect data on personal history of the subjects under review were taken into account factors such as chronic respiratory diseases, exposure to passive smoking and incidence of familial lung cancer. Using these criteria it was possible to identify two stretches of the genome that appear to give a clear explanation. It is presumed that it is precisely these two parts of the genome are able to activate or deactivate the GPC5. Other tests have found that nell’adenocarcinoma, the most common lung cancers, the activity of the gene is 50 percent below normal.
Further research – To prove this theory American scientists have selected the 44 most common genetic abnormalities found during the first phase of the study and have divided the bearers of the anomalies into two groups, half of which had already been diagnosed with lung cancer. The results confirmed, in principle, the assumptions of scholars. Later, a third study on 530 patients has further strengthened the convictions of the researchers.
A LONG ROAD AHEAD – In a commentary on the fringes of the study published in The Lancet Oncology, Dr. R. Govindan, School of Medicine at Washington University, points out that “numerous and more research is needed to find confirmation of preliminary observations on lung tumors of nonsmokers and that medicine is still far from understanding how the audit findings from the study can be correlate with the predisposition to disease.”