Molecular and Genetic Analysis of Lung Cancer

OBJECTIVES:

• Assess the role of genetic polymorphisms in lung-cancer risk in patients with lung cancer.
• Assess the role of germline polymorphisms in DNA repair genes, p53 pathway genes, and a matrix metalloproteinase gene (tumor invasion factor) in lung-cancer risk, after adjusting for potential confounders.
• Assess the roles of gender and age in the genetic susceptibility of lung cancer.
• Assess the role of genetic polymorphisms in modifying the diet-lung cancer risk association (gene-diet and exploratory gene-gender-diet and gene-gene-diet interactions).
• Assess the role of polymorphisms on the risk of developing specific histologic subtypes of lung cancer in case-only analyses.
• Determine whether continued exposures to mainstream and/or second-hand tobacco smoking is associated with poorer clinical prognosis in patients treated for lung cancer.

OUTLINE: This began as a case-control study, but is currently case only.

Blood samples are collected from patients and controls. Samples are analyzed by polymerase chain reaction for gene polymorphisms. Genes to be studied include GSTP1, GSTM1, GSTT1, ERCC2, XRCC1, EPHX, NAT-2, p53 gene, CYP1A1, NQO1, MnSOD, and GPX1. Tissue samples collected from patients undergoing surgery and blood samples are archived for future studies.

Patients and controls complete questionnaires about diet, medical history, and occupational/environmental history.