Researchers Pinpoint How Smoking Causes Cancer

Researchers Pinpoint How Smoking Causes Cancer May 14th, 2008 Researchers have pinpointed the protein that can lead to genetic changes that cause lung cancer. They discovered the production of a protein, FANCD2, is slowed when lung cells are exposed to cigarette smoke. Low levels of FANCD2 leads to DNA damage, triggering cancer. Cigarette smoke curbs the production of ‘caretaker’ proteins, like FANCD2, which prevent cancer by fixing damages in DNA and causing faulty cells to die. Original p