This Rare Gene Drastically Raises Lung Cancer Risk in People Who Never Smoked

The gene is found predominantly in Southern Appalachia and may be one of the most powerful cancer-risk mutations ever found.

The top 3

  1. The Rare EGFR Mutation Behind Nonsmoker Lung Cancer: A massive study of 3.37 million people identified the inherited EGFR T790M mutation as a major driver, increasing lung cancer risk 62-fold in never-smokers and 25-fold in smokers.
  2. Top Inherited Genes Linked to Cancer Risk: While T790M is a powerful lung-specific risk, other genes hold the top spots for broader hereditary cancer syndromes across multiple organs.
  3. Top Genetic Drivers in Never-Smokers: Lung cancer in never-smokers is biologically distinct, driven by specific genomic alterations rather than tobacco-induced DNA damage.

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