Why some smokers and non-smokers face higher risk of cancer and other lung diseases
Global probe by more than 100 scientists uncovers 43 new gene variants, which will enable better predictions of those at risk of cancer and illnesses such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis
Scientists have unveiled a trove of newly discovered gene variants to help predict who among both smokers and non-smokers will most likely develop a killer lung disease.
The world’s biggest probe of the genetics of lung health yielded 43 new gene variants linked to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a major cause of death. COPD is a bundle of incurable lung ailments, including emphysema and chronic bronchitis. People with the wrong genetic makeup who also smoke are especially at risk, a team of scientists writes in the journal Nature Genetics.
“As a result of this work, we can now better predict who will develop COPD – opening up the possibility of using this information in prevention,” says Martin Tobin, from the University of Leicester in Britain, one of the leaders of the research team. “This genetic information guides future treatments, including the development of new drugs.”
According to a 2015 study in the Journal of Global Health, there were an estimated 384 million COPD cases globally in 2010. It claimed about 2.9 million lives that year, making it the fourth most common cause of death – and is predicted to reach third place by 2030.
About 90 per cent of COPD deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, and some 40 per cent of deaths are attributable to smoking. Despite it being a strong risk factor, not all people who smoke develop COPD, and not all people who do develop it are smokers. This is largely due to genetic differences, said the research team.
By nearly doubling the number of genetic variants associated with lung disease, they discovered that people in the highest genetic risk group were 3.7 times as likely to develop COPD than those in the lowest.