HEREDITARY LUNG CANCER

Many scientists found that the people who have any genetic imbalance related to cancer causing are able to pass the disease to the next generation. Though many developments have made in the lung cancer medical field, there is no significant solution for lung cancer through genetic problems. Usually, doctors try to remove the defected part of chromosome which causes lung cancer. Since this type of lung cancer is caused from the parents to the offspring’s, there is difficulty in finding which chromosome is the reason for lung cancer.

Moreover, the innocent offspring’s are suffered from the disease without practicing any bad activities like smoking which leads to cancer. The fund allotted for the research and development in the field of lung cancer should be more than enough to save these people who suffer by genetic lung cancer. Even after the occurrence of genetic lung cancer, the doctors should be in a position to find the malfunctioning chromosome correctly and can able to remove it. This ultimately results in saving of a life in this planet.

IS LUNG CANCER HEREDITARY?

Though the role of heredity is not well recognized by the scientists, having a family history of lung cancer may increase the risk of getting impacted by the lung cancer disease. Hereditary lung cancer can be seen mostly in women and non- smokers. Let us discuss what the factors that may cause hereditary lung cancer are. The first factor is degree of family member. That is, if a person is the first-degree family member (example – siblings), then he/she has the highest chance to get affected by lung cancer. If the person is second- degree family member (example- aunt, uncle), then the chance of getting cancer is relatively low when compared to the first degree family members. The second factor is type of cancer that a person acquired in the body. Many reports have shown that non small cell lung cancer is more likely to have a family history of lung cancer. The next factor is smoking status. This will overstate the risk of lung cancer if a person has a family history of lung cancer.

ACQUIRED GENE CHANGES

In most of the cases of lung cancer, the gene changes are acquired during the life time but not inherited. For example, a person who smokes daily is very much prone to the dangerous gene changes in the cells. This will increase the risk factor of lung cancer eventually inside his/her body. Therefore, in this case, the gene change is due to smoking tobacco product and not due to the inherited changes in the gene from parents to siblings. Acquired mutations can also be resulted from some other environmental factors like exposure to radon gas, sometimes second hand smoking, etc., But some gene change may not have a definite cause. These changes may occur randomly inside the cells of the body that may result in lung cancer. Certain changes in the genes like p53 and p16 tumor suppressor genes and K-RAS oncogenes in the human body are considered to be the major reason for the development of lung cancer. Changes in these genes are capable of spreading lung cancer at a rapid rate.

INHERITED GENE CHANGES

Some people inherit DNA alterations from their parents that may increase the possibility of cancer. But scientists have shown that DNA changes are not the primary cause for lung cancer. Still, in some families, genes are the considerable factors in the history of lung cancer. For example, some people seem to acquire the inability to break down or to eliminate the lung cancer inducing chemicals in the body, such as found in the tobacco. This ultimately results in the increase in the chance of getting affected by lung cancer disease. Therefore, the changes in the DNA may increase the capability of lung cancer to affect the human body easily. Many scientists are working in this field to eliminate the cause of lung cancer due to DNA changes. The genes inherited from the parents are both beneficial and sometimes causes diseases. It totally depends on what type of genes we carry from the parents to our generation. We can say that inherited gene changes may be one of the causes for lung cancer.

GENE CHANGES THAT MAY LEAD TO LUNG CANCER

Scientists have observed that the changes in the particular genes may lead to the lung cancer. This happens when a person is addicted to smoking; the known risk factors will cause some changes in the DNA structure of the cells and causes lung cancer. DNA is the basic chemical which forms the genes in the human body. Genes are the reason for the similarity in appearance and character between parents and children. The structural change in the genes due to lung cancer may be carried to next generation which can potentially cause lung cancer to the siblings. There are some genes in the human body which controls the process of cell division and development. Genes that controls the process of cell division are called as oncogenes. Also there is another group of genes is called as tumor suppressor genes which makes the cells to stop the operation of division at the right time. Sometimes, the lung cancer in the human body is caused by arousing the oncogenes or by stop the operation of tumor suppressor genes in the body.