Could Lung Cancer in Smokers Vs. 'Never-Smokers' Be Different Diseases?

[n2doc]

ScienceDaily (Nov. 8, 2010) — Lung tumors in those who smoke and those who never smoked have different DNA alterations in the tumor genomes, according to results of a pilot study presented at the Ninth Annual AACR Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Conference, held Nov. 7-10 in Philadelphia.

Based on the results of this study, Kelsie Thu, a Ph.D. candidate at the BC Cancer Research Center in Vancouver, Canada, suggested that "lung cancer in never-smokers should be studied as a separate group," and that lung cancers in smokers and never-smokers may represent two different diseases.

Thu and colleagues investigated the biology of lung cancer to determine how it is different in 30 patients who never smoked vs. 53 patients who were current or former smokers. The goal: to improve the current understanding of lung cancer development.

"A better understanding of the biology underlying lung cancer development will lead to improved detection and therapeutic strategies, and ultimately, will result in improved patient prognosis," she said.
Using genomic technologies, the researchers found regions of DNA that were altered in both the smoker and never-smoker groups, as well as regions of DNA altered preferentially in one group.

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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101108190128.htm

[CatsDogsBabies]

1. Makes sense.

Different cause, different disease.

[KT2000]

2. Have thought so

Happen to read some research about the chemical BCME. It can be formed in the atmosphere when formaldehyde and chloride ions come together. It causes lung cancer and has one of the shortest latency periods. It can occur in manufacturing such as fertilizers and more.
It was a concern when some workers were overexposed and died. Studies were done in controlled environments where they found - no problem.
Other research has found it can form spontaneously in any environment and then it dissipates.

[SheilaT]

3. My casual impression, simply from

having known some smokers with lung cancer and a non-smoker or two with lung cancer, is that they are two different diseases.

[HS News]

4. Environmental Carcinogens

The variations may be due to regional differences in smoking prevalence, exposure to cancer-causing substances, and other factors, according to the study.

“These findings identify the racial/ethnic populations and geographic regions that would most benefit from enhanced efforts in primary prevention, specifically by reducing tobacco use and exposure to environmental carcinogens,” the researchers wrote.
http://www.hispanicallyspeakingnews.com/notitas-de-noticias/details/u.s.-study-finds-hispanic-have-lowest-rate-of-lung-cancer/2892/

[Baalath]

5. Adenoma vs Squamous cell

Commonly non-smokers and smokers have different types of cancer, arising from different types of cells. I wish I had a link, but I read something recently citing that the number of new cases of cancer in non-smokers is remaining constant, despite the decrease in second hand smoke. Bringing into question the entire idea of second hand smoke as a cause of lung cancer. Wish I could find the link, I'll keep looking.