Anti-smoking campaigners say quitting is still best
Jump to full article: BBC Online, 2003-03-05
Intro: Drugs which could prevent the lung damage caused by smoking are being developed by scientists.
US researchers believe they could be used to stop the smoking-related damage which causes 99% of the most lethal type of lung cancer.
However, anti-smoking campaigners stressed the healthiest option was never to start smoking in the first place.
The research centres on the Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) gene, named after the cartoon character. . .
Scientists at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions in Baltimore, Maryland, found it helps repair damaged lung tissue in adults. . . Amanda Sandford, spokeswoman for Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) said: "Obviously it's important that research continues into identifying the causes of cancer and finding ways to treat it.
"But when it comes to smoking, quite simply the message is still don't start, and if you are a smoker, quit." . .
The research is published in the journal Nature.
Jump to full article » |