Australian scientists have discovered the faulty cells that allow the second-most common form of lung cancer to grow among smokers and ex-smokers.
The discovery is being hailed a "game-changer" because it will hopefully lead to the early detection of this deadly disease.
Researchers at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute in Melbourne used donated lung tissue obtained through the Victorian Cancer Biobank to investigate lung stem cells, with the aim of understanding how cancer could form.
The team isolated cells from the airway of the lung, called basal stem cells, and discovered that when exposed to harmful chemicals such as cigarette smoke, the cells would try to repair any damage.
However, it was found the repair process was flawed and riddled with DNA errors.
These errors caused genetic mutations that could lead to cancer, said lead researcher Dr Asselin-Labat.
Further genetic analysis confirmed a correlation between the genetic signatures of the lung-based basal stem cells and lung squamous cell carcinoma.
Lung squamous cell carcinoma is a devastating disease with a poor prognosis because the tumours are often discovered too late, when the cancer is inoperable, said fellow researcher Ms Clare Weeden.
"The hope going forward, is that our work will be a gateway to new, tailored prevention and treatment measures for patients with lung diseases," she said..
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