Overview

• A study published in *Science* identifies tracheal basal cells expressing the gene Krt5 as the origin of lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC).
• Research shows Krt5 basal cells outcompete other cell types, spreading from the trachea to colonize lung airways and form precancerous lesions.
• Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals transitional Krt13-expressing cells increase while normal luminal cells decrease during early carcinogenesis.
• DNA sequencing of human smoker samples confirms that separate precancerous lesions often descend from the same damaged basal cell.
• The findings pave the way for developing biomarkers and therapies aimed at detecting and preventing lung cancer at its earliest stages.