Biomed Radio - Washington University School Of Medicine In St. Louis

A study at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis may aid efforts to tailor smoking-cessation treatments to cigarette smokers, based on their DNA. The researchers are recruiting 720 smokers from the St. Louis area who want to kick the habit. Study participants will provide DNA samples, from saliva, that will be analyzed to identify genetic variations that influence smoking behavior, lung cancer risk and the effectiveness of smoking-cessation treatments. SMOKING IS LINKED TO CANCER AND TO CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE. RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT IT SHORTENS A PERSON’S LIFESPAN BY ABOUT 12 YEARS. BUT STILL, MANY PEOPLE SMOKE, AND IT’S VERY DIFFICULT TO QUIT. SO RESEARCHERS AT WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE IN ST. LOUIS ARE AIMING TO MATCH UP TREATMENTS WITH THE DNA OF INDIVIDUAL SMOKERS. THEY’RE RECRUITING SMOKERS WHO WANT TO QUIT, AND THEY HOPE TO LEARN WHETHER IT’S POSSIBLE TO MATCH SMOKERS WITH THERAPIES, BASED ON GENETIC INFORMATION. JIM DRYDEN REPORTS… MOST SMOKERS KNOW THE