Global statistics estimate that 53% of lung cancers in women and 15% in men are not attributable to smoking, overall accounting for 25% of all lung cancer cases worldwide. Moreover, major gender, molecular, and response to treatment differences in lung cancers arising in never smokers and smokers have recently been recognized, indicating that that they might be different diseases. To gain a deeper understanding of the biology of lung cancer in never smokers, we are employing the use of our mouse model of lung cancer to study the role of Akt signaling in tumor initiation and progression. Akt is one of the key signaling molecules involved in cell growth and division and is often activated in lung cancer. There are 3 different forms of the Akt protein and understanding how each one functions in lung tumor formation and maintenance could assist the development of more specific inhibitors with better outcome and fewer side effects.

This grant is funded by the Marjolaine-Bazinet Fund.