Genetic variants increase smokers’ risk of lung cancer
April 2nd, 2008
Scientists have identified genetic variants that increase a person’s risk of developing lung cancer, but only if they have ever smoked. The findings will shed light on how people get addicted to tobacco and how our genes and environment conspire to cause cancer.
More than 38,300 new cases of lung cancer are diagnosed in the UK each year and more than 33,000 people die from the disease, according to Cancer Research UK. Worldwide it is the most common cancer with 1.3 million people diagnosed every year.