Summary
Scientists discover new link between air pollution and lung cancer, finding tiny particles trigger genetic changes, leading to new prevention and treatment opportunities.
Scientists have found a new way that air pollution can cause lung cancer, even in people who have never smoked. This discovery could help explain why many non-smokers still get lung cancer.
The research was led by Charles Swanton, a cancer expert from London. His team found that tiny particles in polluted air can trigger lung cells that already have certain genetic changes to turn into cancer.
These particles, called PM2.5, are very small – about 30 times smaller than the width of a human hair. They come from things like car exhaust, factory smoke, and wildfires. When we breathe them in, they can cause inflammation in our lungs.
The scientists did experiments on mice and looked at data from humans. They found that when lungs with certain genetic changes were exposed to these particles, the inflammation could wake up sleeping cancer cells and make them grow.
This is different from how we usually think about cancer-causing things. Instead of directly damaging DNA, the pollution particles are more like an alarm clock for cancer cells that are already there but not active.
The good news is that this discovery could lead to new ways to prevent and treat lung cancer. For example, doctors might be able to use medicine to stop the inflammation caused by air pollution.
However, the best solution would be to reduce air pollution. The World Health Organization says that almost everyone on Earth breathes air with unsafe levels of these particles.
Swanton and other scientists are calling for stricter laws to control air pollution. They say it’s not just about lung cancer – air pollution can cause many other health problems too.
While more research is needed, this study helps us understand better how air pollution affects our health and why it’s so important to clean up our air.
