Prof Charles Swanton, speaks to ecancer on the actionable inflammatory axis for air pollution-induced non-small cell lung cancer.
A mechanistic basis for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) initiation in never smokers, a disease with a high frequency of EGFR mutations (EGFRm), is unknown.
The air pollutant, particulate matter (PM), is known to be associated with the risk of NSCLC, however a direct cause and mechanism remain elusive.
This data reveals a mechanistic basis for particulate matter-driven lung cancer in the absence of classical carcinogen-driven mutagenesis, reminiscent of models of tumour initiation and promotion proposed 70 years ago, providing evidence to limit air pollution and opportunities for molecular targeted cancer prevention.
