Smoking is infamously linked to increasing
the risk of many types of cancers. New studies show that smoking may be related
to the loss of Y chromosomes in men. This could explain why men who smoke are
at a bigger risk than women. It may also help scientist discover why men have
shorter life spans than women. Male smokers are more likely to develop cancer
outside of the respiratory track. The effect genetics may play in this
difference could help scientist understand why men and women are at different
risks.
Scientists have previously
discovered the link between the loss of the Y chromosome in men and the
increased rate of cancer. There are also studies showing that the Y chromosome
may lead to tumor suppression which also explains why men may get cancer more
often than women. Researchers did a study testing many factor that may cause
the loss of the Y chromosome. Smoking was for to be one of these causes based
on dosage and exposure.
They also discovered that men who
had never smoked and men that have quit smoking have the same risk for losing
their Y chromosome. This shows that even though smoking may increase the loss
of the Y chromosome, it may be reversible. Researchers have yet to discover why
there is a link between smoking and the loss of the Y chromosome, however, more
studies are being done to further investigate.
Original Article: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/286474.php
Related Article: http://www.theverge.com/2014/12/4/7333717/y-chromosome-smoking-cancer-death
Related Article: http://www.theverge.com/2014/12/4/7333717/y-chromosome-smoking-cancer-death
I have been seeing this on the news a lot lately. I hope this will encourage people to quit smoking because even though for years we have been warned about how smoking leads to the increased risk of cancer, people do not normally know about the increased loss of the Y chromosome.
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