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By Kirsten Houmann, Ivanhoe Health Correspondent
ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Carriers of one of the most common genetic disorders in the U.S. may have a 70 to 100 percent increased chance of developing lung cancer, new research reveals.
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According to a recent study, alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency (a1ATD), a genetic mutation previously linked to lung disease, affects at least 10 million Americans. Researchers found a strong association between this under-diagnosed disorder and lung cancer.
Researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., compared lung cancer patients with cancer-free siblings and non-related controls. When compared with siblings, a1ATD carriers had twice the risk of developing lung cancer, and when compared to the controls, they had a 70 percent higher risk. Researchers estimated that a1ATD carriers may account for 11 to 12 percent of lung cancer patients enrolled in the study.
We want to see whether those patients who carry the mutated gene respond to any treatment differently, or survive the disease any differently, than the non-carriers, Ping Yang, M.D., Ph.D., lead researcher of the study, told Ivanhoe. Were trying to see how the related genes play a role in the risk of [lung cancer], because this is only one of a big family of genes in the pathway.
Dr. Yang cautioned against overestimating the role of genes in lung cancer development. She added, For lung cancer, its not nearly as important as smoking as a risk factor.
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Source: Ivanhoe interview with Ping Yang, M.D., Ph.D.; The Journal of the American Medical Association, 2008;168:1097-1103
This article was reported by Ivanhoe.com, who offers Medical Alerts by e-mail every day of the week. To subscribe, go to: http://www.ivanhoe.com/newsalert/.
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