| Title: | Investigating the role of air pollution in tumour initiation across cancer types. |
| Lead Institution: | Francis Crick Institute |
| Principal investigator: | Dr Kevin Litchfield |
Application 82693
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About
The average levels of certain air pollutants in the UK currently exceed that recommended by the World Health Organisation. Therefore, determining the health effects of air pollution is an imperative public health matter. Our 12-month project specifically focusses on the relationship between air pollution and cancer. We seek to determine not just which cancer types are caused by different air pollutants, but also how these pollutants might cause this disease. Our hope is that by enhancing understanding of air pollution as a cause of cancer, measures can be planned and taken to reduce the risk to the public and help decrease the number of people who develop this disease. It has been established that air pollution is a cause of lung cancer, and it has been linked to other types of cancer too. When inhaled, the different types of air pollution can have different effects on the body. Certain particles that constitute air pollution can be inhaled into the lungs or swallowed and can enter the bloodstream, from where they can travel all around the body. Therefore, it is likely that not just the body surface, but also the internal organs are exposed to air pollution. Consequently, it is important to determine the parts of the body most vulnerable to the cancer-causing effect of specific pollutants. Furthermore, we believe that the immune system is involved in this process. Therefore, we will investigate whether this is the case, and if so, how this can be used therapeutically for the benefit of patients.1 Publication
| Pub ID | Title | Author(s) | Year | Journal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11303 | Lung adenocarcinoma promotion by air pollutants | William Hill (+70) | 2023 | Nature |
Enabling scientific discoveries that improve human health