ST. LOUIS, Nov. 5 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers said they've decoded the genetic changes associated with a common form of lung cancer.
The research team, led by scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, identified 26 genes that are frequently mutated in lung adenocarcinoma. The researchers found some of the genes associated with lung tumors are also defective in other cancers, that non-smokers with lung cancer have distinct genetic defects and that several molecular pathways underlie most mutations, the university said Wednesday in a release.
The findings, published in the journal nature, could lead to more personalized diagnosis and treatment, the report said.
"This genomic approach has given us a completely different view of lung cancer," lead author Richard K. Wilson said in a statement. "This broad view will allow scientists to more accurately categorize tumors, which should speed efforts to develop more targeted therapies to fight the disease."
