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(Boston) Lung carcinomas are the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States and worldwide. Lung squamous cell carcinomas (non-small cell lung cancers that arise in the bronchi of the lungs and make up approximately 30 percent of all lung cancers) are poorly understood, particularly with respect to the cell type and signals that contribute to disease onset.
According to the researchers, treatments for lung squamous cell carcinomas are limited and research into the etiology of the disease is required to create new ways to treat it. Our study offers insight into how damage to the airways of the lung develops into lesions that can transition to cancer. Identifying and treating pre-cancer lesions would offer an opportunity for intercepting lung cancer development, said corresponding author Bob Varelas, PhD, associate professor of biochemistry at Boston University School of Medicine.