Gene expression changes brought on by heavy smoking may persist long after the smoker has kicked the habit, researchers have found. The results could provide a molecular explanation for the continued increased risk of lung cancer and other pulmonary ailments among former smokers. When smokers quit, their bodies gradually begin to undo the damage cigarettes have wrought. But contrary to popular belief, not all of the body's systems make a full recovery. Although the risk of heart disease, for example, eventually returns to that of a nonsmoker, the risk of getting lung cancer and emphysema — a progressive lung condition that leaves sufferers struggling for breath — remains elevated even if the patient hasn't smoked a cigarette in decades. "You are reducing the risk of disease by quitting," says Raj Chari, a cancer biologist at the British Columbia Cancer Research Centre in Vancouver, Canada, "but it isn't going back to zero."

Chari and his co-workers assayed gene expression levels in tissue scraped from the airways of four nonsmokers (who had never smoked), eight current smokers, and twelve former smokers who had gone without a cigarette for at least 1 year, and up to 32 years. They found that some genes with altered expression in smokers had returned to normal levels in former smokers. But the expression of another 124 genes had not returned to normal. The results are published today in BMC Genomics.

View: Full Article | Source: Nature.com

There is a good reason not to start kids. That means the effect of living with smokers and all the second hand smoke is still with me.

yep..a friend of mine quit smoking 12 years ago..she was diagnosed with lung cancer Dec 05 and died Jan 07..quitting didn't make any difference to her. Her kids are 16 and 18. Such a shame..

i wonder if i can sue smokers with this evidence i will rule the world..cough..cough er..... i mean be rich

I think smoking should be banned in public places.

I recently quit,but now I am depressed by this ! Thanks for nothing !

eh doesn't change my views on smoking i shall continue to do so regardless of the health effects i enjoy it

they just signed that bill in my city and it takes effect this January. i cant wait until i can go into any public building and not have to be sent out coughing and wheezing

They are doing that in the UK, GREAT FOR NON SMOKERS..NEXT SHOULD BE ALCOHOL. Because of the larger deficit on human life both for drinkers and non drinkers, hospital bills, etc etc etc... I guess the social morality is dwindling on that subject, better check the muslims, who smoke everywhere, but drink no alcohol. I too enjoy smoking thanks.

A little bit immature this article, this so timely report ahead of more anti smoking crap seems suspect.

The truth : EVERY SINGLE SCRAP OF EXPERIENCE IS RECORDED IN OUR GENES. INCLUDING war traumas, tax traumas, fun, sleep, disease, marriages etc etc. Smoking is obviously part of an individual's life as well, so why not include that as recorded in our genes?

Silly article, obviously saying something more than the obvious that science has accepted a long time ago.

We need articles explaining the unexplainable. Like this placed used to be, UNpolitically biased. How about the mystery of the individuals who smoke all their life and die over 100 years old. I am sure genetic evidence exists to surmise accurately why some die young, and others not. Then we will learn something useful. I know the answer why already, though that answer may lead to the ending of global sickness or at least the trillion dollar medical industry, something we should never look into right? Don't listen to me though, I just do research 5+ hours a day.


THIS SIMPLE ARTICLE explains the usual narrow band of Western economic medical theory.

Go to China, and they know how to stop your smoking in 24 hours, no seriously, they have been doing this for a long time. They also know know that smokers are less active, sediment that is captured in the body tissues creates disease by blocking energy channels, the inflammation/bruising or over stressing of the organs creates heart disease, just likew every day business stress before the US went health crazy years ago. A simple diet of 3 litres or more of water every day prevents heart related smoking diseases period. This is news to the West I am sure, but factual. So stop smoking, or smoke and mountain climb, or do as the oldest smokers do, live young exercise daily and do not listen to doctors who are renown for correcting earlier so called factual claims.

You may be digging your own grave there, buddy, but who's to stop you? One of the reasons I have never started smoking is the cost of the darn things - they're so expensive!

I don't smoke but I agree with you. Now if smoking made your dick fall off, that would be reason to quit.

Until you get emphysema,COPD or lung cancer !!