Lung cancer susceptibility

Worldwide, lung cancer is the most common malignancy and the leading cause of cancer mortality. The molecular epidemiology of this disease has received widespread attention, since the role of tobacco smoking in the etiology of lung cancer is well established. However, only about 15 % of smokers develop lung cancer, indicating that susceptibility factors are involved. This review summarizes results we have obtained in an effort to understand gene-environment interactions that determine individual lung cancer risk. The focus has been on genes involved in carcinogen metabolism and sex differences in lung cancer risk, and on prognostic implementations