Grants and Contracts Details
Description
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide, and is particularly prevalent in
Appalachian Kentucky. Exposure to tobacco smoke is an established risk factor for the majority
of lung cancers, but additional risk factors including exposure to certain environmental trace
metals (including arsenic, chromium, and nickel) are thought to contribute, in some cases, to
lung cancer development. Recent evidence indicates that residing in Appalachian Kentucky
carries the risk of elevated exposure to arsenic, chromium, and nickel that would hypothetically
contribute to the high lung cancer incidence in that region. Tobacco smoke and trace metal
exposure each cause elevated oxidative stress in the lung and elsewhere in the body; this
mechanism is widely believed to play a role in the carcinogenic effects of these agents.
Oxidative stress causes damage to biological molecules including proteins and DNA. An
increased burden of oxidative DNA damage would accelerate the pace of genetic change that
drives cancer development. This proposal is directed at establishing methods to measure DNA
and protein oxidation in human blood samples. Subsequently, those methods would be
implemented to compare oxidative stress levels in current smokers versus non-smokers and in
an at risk population from Appalachian Kentucky in which certain individuals may be subject to
exposure to certain carcinogenic trace metals (including arsenic, chromium, and nickel) alone or
in combination with tobacco smoke. In parallel with our studies, trace metal and tobacco
exposure are being measured in the same individuals from Appalachian Kentucky. Thus, this
research will investigate possible correlations between our oxidative stress measurements and
exposure to tobacco smoke and/or environmental trace metals. If such correlations are
confirmed, our methods to measure oxidative stress can potentially be employed to predict
susceptibility to lung cancer and possibly other malignancies in these and many other at risk
populations.
Status | Finished |
---|---|
Effective start/end date | 7/1/12 → 6/30/14 |
Funding
- KY Lung Cancer Research Fund: $100,000.00
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