influence a variety of traits, such as obesity and sexual preference. Scientists have even identified specific epigenetic patterns on the genes of people who smoke. None of the modified genes has a direct link to cancer, however, making it unclear whether these chemical alterations increase the risk of developing the disease In the new study, published in Human Molecular Genetics, researchers analyzed epigenetic signatures in blood cells from 374 individuals enrolled in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition. EPIC, as it's known, is a massive study aimed linking diet, lifestyle, and environmental factors to the incidence of cancer and other chronic diseases. Half of the group consisted of people who went on to develop colon or breast cancer 5 to 7 years after first joining the study, whereas the other half remained healthy The team, led by James Flanagan, a human geneticist at Imperial College London discovered a distinct"epigenetic footprint"in study subjects who were smokers Compared with people who had never smoked these individuals had fewer chemical tags known as methyl groups-a common type of epigenetic change-on 20 different regions of their DNA When the researchers extended the analysis to a separate group of patients and mice that had been exposed to tobacco smoke, they narrowed down the epigenetic modifications to several sites located in four genes that have been weakly linked to cancer before. All of these changes should increase the activity of these genes, Flanagan says It's unclear why increasing the activity of the genes would cause cancer, he says, but individuals who don't have cancer tend not to have these modifications Ashtray image via Shutterstock Smokers given genetic test to help them quit By Claire McKim December 2. 2012 SCOT TISH smokers could be given a genetic test to help them quit their nicotine habit Health officials in Glasgow are currently in talks over whether to introduce a screening test which would determine how best to help smokers quit One in four Scots smoke-and the test would work out how many out of a possible seven smoking genes each addict hasinfluence a variety of traits, such as obesity and sexual preference. Scientists have even identified specific epigenetic patterns on the genes of people who smoke. None of the modified genes has a direct link to cancer, however, making it unclear whether these chemical alterations increase the risk of developing the disease. In the new study, published in Human Molecular Genetics, researchers analyzed epigenetic signatures in blood cells from 374 individuals enrolled in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition. EPIC, as it's known, is a massive study aimed at linking diet, lifestyle, and environmental factors to the incidence of cancer and other chronic diseases. Half of the group consisted of people who went on to develop colon or breast cancer 5 to 7 years after first joining the study, whereas the other half remained healthy. The team, led by James Flanagan, a human geneticist at Imperial College London, discovered a distinct "epigenetic footprint" in study subjects who were smokers. Compared with people who had never smoked, these individuals had fewer chemical tags known as methyl groups—a common type of epigenetic change—on 20 different regions of their DNA. When the researchers extended the analysis to a separate group of patients and mice that had been exposed to tobacco smoke, they narrowed down the epigenetic modifications to several sites located in four genes that have been weakly linked to cancer before. All of these changes should increase the activity of these genes, Flanagan says. It's unclear why increasing the activity of the genes would cause cancer, he says, but individuals who don't have cancer tend not to have these modifications. Ashtray image via Shutterstock. Smokers given genetic test to help them quit By Claire McKim December 2, 2012 SCOTTISH smokers could be given a genetic test to help them quit their nicotine habit. Health officials in Glasgow are currently in talks over whether to introduce a screening test which would determine how best to help smokers quit. One in four Scots smoke- and the test would work out how many out of a possible seven smoking genes each addict has