Genetic mutations for smoking

Three separate studies demonstrate that smoking habits actually cause human genes to change.

In three papers in Nature Genetics, the scientists said, they analyzed the genome of more than 140,000 individuals - including smokers and non-smokers.

The results showed a change in a gene in chromosome 11 of smokers. Experts also found another mutation on chromosome 9 of those who had been addicted to smoking but stopped smoking.

The team found that people with genetic mutations on chromosomes 8 and 19 tend to smoke more cigarettes than others. These people also face a 10% higher risk of lung cancer than those who do not carry gene mutations in chromosomes 8 and 19.

'Smoking causes harm to human health. However, for some individuals, smoking habits are more harmful than others. The new finding will help us identify those individuals and give them reasons to quit smoking , 'said director Kari Stefansson of deCode, an Icelandic company that provides genetic information. DeCode conducted one of three studies published in Nature Genetics.

Everyone knows that smoking is one of the leading causes of lung cancer. The number of people who die early because of smoking may increase to 6.4 million in 2015 and 8.3 million by 2020. This is a prediction of a study published in the journal Public Library of Science Medicine in 2007. .