'Quiet' lung cancer genes can lead to a malignancy

Although the understanding of human genes and how they relate to the onset (and prevention) of certain diseases is only just beginning, one that comes to mind for many of us relates to cancer. Is there a gene or set of genes responsible for it?

In recent news, the activity of a group of 15 genes was found to have a negative outlook when it came to lung cancer malignancy. That is, the genes -- which normally protect lung cancer according to research -- may in fact help lung cancer develop if their activity is somehow suppressed.

Researchers looked at 25 people with lung cancer and 24 without it and were 96 percent accurate in identifying those with cancer simply by analyzing these 15 genes. Now, the march goes on to see why these genes were less active (not that expressed, apparently) in some than in others.