Researchers have found a cause and link between air pollution, dust, and lung cancer. This will lead to the development of effective anti-cancer drugs in the future.
Our general understanding of cancer is Healthy cells carry more and more mutations in the genetic code, or DNA (DNA), until the tipping point. then become cancerous and expand uncontrollably
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But this theory has problems. This is because cancer mutations are often found in seemingly healthy cells or tissues. and many substances known to cause cancer including air pollution It doesn’t seem to damage people’s DNA. According to the theory, it is unlikely to cause cancer.
In a recent research study Researchers have discovered that Air pollution does not cause damage, but “awakens damaged or mutated cells.”
Prof Charles Swanton, an oncologist at the Francis Crick Research Institute and University College London, said originally in the DNA of human cells we already had damaged or mutated cells. which increases and is found as we get older and older And these damage or mutations, if “activated,” can turn into cancer.
This finding comes from a survey that Why do non-smokers get lung cancer? because it is well known that Most lung cancer is caused by smoking. Still, 1 in 10 lung cancer cases in the UK are caused by air pollution.
The research team focused on a form of pollution known as particle 2.5, or PM2.5, which is smaller than the diameter of a human hair. The results of human and animal experiments found that people in places with high air pollution. There is a chance of developing lung cancer even if you are not a smoker. than being in a less polluted area
They found that about half of people with lung cancer never smoked. There is a mutation in a gene that is associated with the development of lung cancer. In a study of more than 440,000 people living in the UK, South Korea and Taiwan found that increased exposure to PM2.5 dust This increases the risk that the gene will be activated into lung cancer.
In addition, inhalation of PM2.5 causes the release of chemicals. Interleukin-1-beta in the lungs, which normally reduces inflammation and stimulates cells in the lung to repair damage, but approximately 1 in 600,000 lung cells already have cancer-related mutations, and therefore may be subject to interleukin. -1-beta also stimulate and turned into cancer
Swanton said “We found that mutations in the genes associated with lung cancer were also present in normal lung tissue. and is likely to arise from aging in our research These mutations have a very small chance of causing cancer in laboratory models.”
He continued that “however When these mutated lung cells are exposed to air pollution. We found more cancers. And it occurs faster than lung cells that are not exposed to pollution, indicating that air pollution is a trigger for lung cancer.”
Swanton said “The risk of lung cancer from air pollution is lower than from smoking. But we cannot control what we breathe at all. Worldwide, more people are exposed to air pollution than the toxic chemicals in tobacco smoke. And these new data link the importance of managing air quality. to maintain human health.”
the results of this research In addition to making scientists understand that How can the effects of air pollution cause cancer? There is another benefit. Point out guidelines for preventing lung cancer from pollution.
The researchers were able to stop cancer in rats exposed to air pollution. using drugs that block the activation of gene mutations associated with lung cancer Such advances are considered a “new era”, making it possible in the future for us to develop drugs that stop lung cancer.
Dr Emilia Lim, one of the researchers at the Francis Crick Research Institute and University College London, said people who had never smoked but had lung cancer often had no idea why.
“The clues about how lung cancer is causing pollution is really important. So it really affects all of us,” she said.
Compiled from BBC / ESMO
Image courtesy of AFP/ESMO.