Lung cancer causes

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Kim-Son H. Nguyen M.D. Cafer Zorkun, M.D., Ph.D. [2] Dildar Hussain, MBBS [3]

Overview

The direct cause of lung cancer is DNA mutations that often result in either activation of proto-oncogenes (e.g. K-RAS) or the inactivation of tumors suppressor genes (e.g. TP53) or both. The risk of these genetic mutations may be increased following exposure to environmental insults.

Causes

The direct cause of lung cancer is DNA mutations that often result in either activation of proto-oncogenes (e.g. K-RAS) or the inactivation of tumors suppressor genes (e.g. TP53) or both.^[1]^[2]
The risk of these genetic mutations may be increased following exposure to environmental insults, which are regarded as risk factors that predispose to the development of lung cancer.

To view a comprehensive list of risk factors that increase the risk of lung cancer, click here.

References

↑ American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts & Figures 2017. Atlanta: American Cancer Society; 2017.
↑ Karachaliou N, Mayo C, Costa C, Magrí I, Gimenez-Capitan A, Molina-Vila MA, Rosell R (2013). “KRAS mutations in lung cancer”. Clin Lung Cancer. 14 (3): 205–14. doi:10.1016/j.cllc.2012.09.007. PMID 23122493.

Overview