Faulty gene increases lung cancer risk

The international team of researchers, led by Professor Richard Houlston at The Institute of Cancer Research, carried out a “whole genome search” for faulty genes that increase lung cancer risk.

Current or former smokers who carry one copy of each genetic variant increase their risk of lung cancer by 28%. Current or former smokers with two copies of each variant increase their risk by 80%. People who carry these variants, but have never smoked, are not at increased risk of the disease.

Prof. Houlston said: “We’ve found that these genetic variants are strongly associated with lung cancer. Both smokers and non-smokers have a fifty-fifty chance of carrying them but, significantly, they only increase the risk of lung cancer in people who have smoked.”