Genetics Linked With Smoking Addiction

Genetic variations make people get addicted to smoking and develop lung cancer. This finding based on studies can help in screening tests and providing customized treatment for those who would like to quit smoking. The gene makes a person more dependent upon smoking and he or she is less likely to quit as stated by Christopher Amos, professor of epidemiology at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, who is one of the author of the studies.

The genetic variations inherited from both the parents provide 80% risk of developing lung cancer as compared to those without these variants. A person with this genetic variant lights up two cigarettes a day and has a difficult time in giving it up as compared to a smoker who does not have such genetic differences.

Researches did disagree on whether the variants were directly responsible for the increase in lung cancer by making a person smoke more.

The three studies have been funded by Governments of U.S. and Europe and are being highlighted in April issue of Journals Nature and Nature Genetics. The scientists observed the genes of more than 35,000 white persons of European origin in Canada, Europe, and the United States. Studies will be conducted on Blacks and Asians, yielding different results.

These gene variations will also throw light upon chain smoking, lung cancer and nicotine addiction.

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