Prof Charles Swanton, presents his Posthumous Evaluation of Advanced Cancer Environment (PEACE) study at ESMO 2022, which explores how the mechanism of action and an actionable inflammatory axis for air pollution may induce non-small cell lung cancer in never-smokers. 

The results shed light on the aetiology of EGFRm lung cancer, particularly in never-smokers, and suggest that oncogenic mutations may be necessary but insufficient for tumour formation.  

This data reveals a mechanistic basis for particulate matter driven lung cancer in the absence of classical carcinogen-driven mutagenesis, reminiscent of models of tumour initiation and promotion proposed 70 years ago, providing evidence to limit air pollution and opportunities for molecular targeted cancer prevention.