Why do some lifelong smokers never develop lung cancer while others who have never smoked are diagnosed with the disease? A new study suggests that part of the answer may lie in a person's inherited genetic makeup.
Researchers have uncovered the first direct evidence showing that an individual's genes can influence how DNA responds to environmental exposures such as cigarette smoke and sunlight, ultimately affecting the number of mutations that accumulate over time. The findings, published in the journal Nature, could reshape scientists' understanding of cancer risk and improve future screening and prevention strategies.
