According to the Cancer Fighters Association, every 50 cigarettes smoked, from lung cancer causes an associated DNA mutation. If you smoke for years or even your whole life, mutations increase and cancer becomes an inevitable end. However, for some people this is not the case.

We must have heard of people who smoke for life and who do not have critical health problems such as cancer in our daily lives. Scientists, like us, wonder why this is so. According to the results of a new study, these people are being compared with other people who have cancer. “to a natural advantage” they may have.

There is not always a direct relationship between the number of cigarettes smoked, the length of the smoking period and the risk of cancer:

As part of the study, 14 have never smoked; of 19 light, moderate and heavy smokers. samples taken from lung bronchi used. Mutations in lung cell genomes in these samples were examined.

Simon Spivack, a pulmonologist and epidemiologist from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, USA, who was part of the aforementioned research team “The lung cells we chose as examples are actually decades can live anywhere. Mutations can build up in these cells as a result of both age and smoking. These are the lung cells with the highest risk of developing cancer. say.

The researchers state that these cells naturally mutate with aging and emphasize that smoking significantly increases these mutations and increases the risk of cancer. However, according to the new results, this risk is as first thought. proportionate does not rise. Spivacck “Top smokers don’t have the highest mutations” says and adds:

“Our data show that individuals who do not have cancer despite smoking can survive this long because they manage to suppress the build-up of excess mutations.”

What is the main cause of lung cancer?

GIF: Respiratory capacity of a healthy lung with a cancerous lung

According to studies on the subject, tobacco smoke causes cell mutations in the lung, but these mutations turn into tumors, how well can DNA repair? connected. If a heavy smoker does not develop cancer, this shows that DNA mutations can be repaired without causing tumors.

On the other hand, some people whose DNA mutations cannot be prevented may easily develop cancer despite consuming fewer cigarettes. Even when it comes to lung cancer as a mutation trigger Smoking is not so necessary. Malnutrition, environmental conditions and a life without sports also cause these mutations.

Although some smokers develop cancer because of their DNA repair ability, this does not change the fact that smoking is a harmful habit. Indeed, due to many of the symptoms associated with smoking, cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, depression or type 2 diabetes such as deadly diseases.

The reasons why some people who smoke a lot do not get cancer are listed as follows:

GIF: Cancer (green) takes over a blood vessel (Harvard University)

• Inherit DNA repair genes against mutations
• Reducing risk by eliminating foodborne mutations by dieting or eating healthy foods
• Slowing DNA mutations through exercise

However, it remains a mystery why some people are better at DNA repair than others. Jan Vig, geneticist in the research team “We are working on a way to measure a person’s DNA repair ability and thus assess cancer risk.” say.

You can view the scientific publication of the research in question here.