Abstract
Global statistics estimate that 15% of all cases of lung cancer in men and 53% in women are not attributable to smoking, and these data indicate that worldwide, approximately 25% of patients with lung cancer are never smokers. The etiology of lung cancer is disputed. The present study reviews the genes associated with susceptibility to lung cancer among never smokers and suggests possibilities for the involvement of metabolic syndrome. The environment appears to have changed the genes susceptible to lung cancer. Classical genes associated with lung cancer are decreasing and novel emerging genes may reflect changes in lifestyle. We provide evidence that the genes associated with susceptibility to lung cancer in never smokers are very similar to those reported in patients with metabolic syndrome, and that simply quitting smoking is not sufficient as the primary means of preventing lung cancer.
- lung adenocarcinoma
- squamous cell carcinoma
- smoking habit
- second-hand smoke
- never smoker
- xenobiotic genes
- tumor-suppressor genes
- genome-wide association studies
- obesity
- metabolic syndrome
- review
- Received June 9, 2014.
- Revision received July 16, 2014.
- Accepted July 17, 2014.
- Copyright© 2014 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinassios), All rights reserved