A genetic mutation can leave some people vulnerable to lung cancer even if they never smoked, a new study finds.The mutation occurs in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EFGR) gene, which signals cancerous cells to divide and grow. This gene variant can appear in high concentrations in lung cancer cells, even in those of people who don’t smoke.Scientists at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York City, made this link because two new cancer drugs, Iressa and Tarceva, are both most effective against lung cancers that have the mutation, according to their report in the Aug. 23-27 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
