Hidden Signs of Lung Cancer Found 0 7

Scientists from the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center at the University of Texas have determined that the development of lung cancer begins with chronic inflammation of tissues. The study, published in the journal Cancer Cell (CC), showed that the first cells that later form the tumor appear specifically in areas with pronounced inflammation.

During the study, it was found that suppressing inflammatory processes, particularly the protein IL-1B, significantly reduces the number of precancerous cells and may become a new prevention strategy.

To investigate how exactly the tumor originates, researchers created detailed "maps" of gene activity in lung tissues — so-called spatial transcriptomic maps. They covered more than five million cells from samples of 25 patients at different stages of the disease. This data allowed for the precise identification of which areas and types of cells are involved in the early changes leading to cancer.

The scientists discovered that areas of inflammation in the lungs activate cellular signaling pathways that trigger the growth and division of cells characteristic of tumors. Such inflammatory zones persist even in the later stages of the disease, confirming their key role in the mechanism of cancer development.

According to the authors, blocking inflammation could become a new direction for early intervention — either as an independent preventive measure or in combination with immunotherapy. This finding paves the way for the creation of drugs capable of halting the development of lung cancer even before malignant tumors appear.

It is worth noting that the National Health Service in the UK has warned that a cough lasting three weeks or more may be a symptom of lung cancer.