A new mechanism has been identified that might possibly explain how
smoking can cause breast, bowel and lung cancer.
A team at the Christie Hospital, Manchester, found that smokers have
significantly higher levels of insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) in their
blood than non-smokers. Cigarette smoking histories were taken from
over 400 individuals aged between 55-65 years who were attending a bowel cancer screening trial in Manchester.
The findings were presented at Europe's largest annual meeting of
hormone specialists (endocrinologists). They found that long-term smoking significantly affected levels of IGFs and that this was related to the duration and quantity of cigarette use. The findings were dose-related and were statistically significant. There was a 20 to 25 percent difference in IGF levels between the heaviest smokers and the non-smokers.
It was found that growth factors do encourage cancer cell growth and
protect abnormal cells against natural death. However a much larger study is required to prove that smoking, levels of IGF and cancer risk are interlinked. This research indicates that there is possibly a new mechanism that can explain the development of some cancers. This has potential implications for cancer risk assessment and prevention strategies in the future.
British Endocrine Societies' meeting in Harrogate, Yorkshire April 2002
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