Ohio State research is shedding new light on lung cancer risk, which could pave the way for improved methods for prevention and survival. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women and men, in part because of late-presenting symptoms that often cause diagnoses to occur in stages that are difficult to treat. While increased screening can help doctors identify lung cancer earlier, improving the understanding of risk is a vital part of reducing deaths through prevention. “My whole career, pretty much, has focused on risks, prevention and survival of cancer,” says Marisa Bittoni, PhD. “There are estimates that many cases of lung cancer — and about 30 to 40% of all cancers — may be prevented through lifestyle choices, including diet, exercise and smoking.” Click here to learn more about lung cancer, including risks, symptoms and treatment options at The Ohio State University. The roles of exercise and nutrition in lung cancer prevention Much of Bittoni’s research involves the impact of inflammation and other biomarkers on lung cancer risk, as well as the microbiome, which involves the gut bacteria. Learning more about these factors’ interplay could help experts develop new, lifestyle-based prevention practices. “I'm the principal investigator in our Be Fit study, which is an exercise intervention that looks at the effects of exercise on reducing lung cancer risk in longtime smokers,” she says. Before her deep dive into exercise, Bittoni and her colleagues conducted a study focused on nutrition, in particular black raspberries, which are known to have anti-cancer properties. The raspberries — administered through a beverage — showed the potential for positive impacts on patients’ microbiomes. “It takes a long time to get lung cancer, so with these prevention studies we’re trying to look at the early markers so we know if we can reduce inflammation and improve gut bacteria,” Bittoni says. “Then, we may be able to help reduce cancer risk.” How vaping may affect lung cancer risk Smoking is a well-established risk for lung cancer, but much more research is needed to fully understand vaping’s potential impact on lung health. Bittoni and her colleagues have already made great strides in that effort through a study that linked smoking-vaping combinations with significantly higher lung cancer risk. “There's really no published evidence on the effects of vaping directly on lung cancer, but we did find some big differences between those who smoked and vaped versus those who only smoked,” Bittoni says. People who smoked and vaped were four times more likely to develop lung cancer than people who only smoked. That's huge.” Bittoni and her colleagues hope their findings will help guide regulations on e-cigarettes and other non-cigarette tobacco and nicotine products. “This study presents clear evidence showing that vaping in addition to smoking can increase your risk for lung cancer, which is especially concerning given the rate of youth and young adults using these products,” Bittoni says. “More research about the health effects of alternative tobacco products is critically needed to put science behind the regulation of the tobacco industry.” Click here to learn about cancer research at the OSUCCC – James.