title: The field of tissue injury in the lung and airway.
abstract: The concept of field cancerization was first introduced over 6 decades ago in the setting of oral cancer. Later, field cancerization involving histologic and molecular changes of neoplasms and adjacent tissue began to be characterized in smokers with or without lung cancer. Investigators also described a diffuse, nonneoplastic field of molecular injury throughout the respiratory tract that is attributable to cigarette smoking and susceptibility to smoking-induced lung disease. The potential molecular origins of field cancerization and the field of injury following cigarette smoke exposure in lung and airway epithelia are critical to understanding their potential impact on clinical diagnostics and therapeutics for smoking-induced lung disease.
authors.affiliation: The Pulmonary Center, Boston University Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts 02118, USA. steiling@bu.edu
authors.forename: Katrina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Steiling
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ryan
authors.forename: Jerome S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Brody
authors.forename: Avrum
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Spira
mesh_terms: D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D004777:Environment; D023281:Genomics; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008954:Models, Biological; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D020545:Respiratory Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000235:genetics