Cancer is a group of diseases characterized by uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells. If the spread is not controlled, it can result in death. It is no secret that cancer is very common in the African American community. African Americans have the highest death rate and highest mortality rate of any racial and ethnic group in the US for most cancers. The American Cancer Society reported about 189,910 new cancer
Smoking is a most common way of tobacco consumption that provides a pleasurable effect by modulating neurotransmitters in the brain. African Americans (AA) have shown higher susceptibility to nicotine consumption and highest rate of mortality due to cancer. In this study we have examined the levels of 6 neurotransmitters in AA smokers and compared them with nonsmokers of same population. We observed decrease in plasma levels of glutamate and increase in serotonin, epinephrine and dopamine. The level of gamma amino butyric acid (GABA) and norepinephrine was not changed significantly. The results, in part, explain the basis of higher nicotine susceptibility in AAs and will be helpful to develop population specific strategies for smoking cessation.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.