Study warns of silent lung changes caused by smoking

A recent study has warned that chronic exposure to cigarette smoke causes silent changes in the lungs.

The study added that such exposure can reprogram lung stem cells and alter their functions, making them more likely to turn into cancerous cells if certain genetic mutations occur, according to Russia Today.

Researchers from Johns Hopkins University, who conducted the study, said that the type of lung cancer that develops may not be determined solely by the genetic mutation, but is also influenced by the type of cell affected and its condition after prolonged exposure to cigarette smoke.

According to the findings, chronic smoke exposure led to changes in gene activity and regulatory mechanisms, resulting in cell states similar to those that precede cancer. Some natural defense mechanisms in the cells also changed, including pathways related to inflammation, immune response, and cell death.