Surprise breakthrough in lung cancer research

Cancer study shocks scientists - 7th November 2022

Now, scientists understand more about dirty air and cancer. Air pollution comes from cars. The dirty air enters our bodies through our two lungs. But that air can give us lung cancer.

Scientists at London's Crick Institute are excited. They know air pollution can start lung cancer. Before, scientists thought pollution made cells change in our bodies. But it's not like that. The cells are healthy but they already have problems, or "mutations". These mutations are "sleeping". They aren't bad.

Air pollution wakes the mutations up. It's like an alarm. That's bad news for our bodies. The mutations can then become cancer.

Scientists found something else too. They showed this with mice. They gave the animals a special pill. The pill switched off the alarm.

Maybe in the future, people in cities will take a pill too. It could stop the alarm, and stop cancer.