By Lynne Adkins

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — According to a study just released at a national conference, local researchers have found a link between estrogen and lung cancer.

Lung cancer is the number one cause of cancer deaths in this country and now researchers at Fox Chase Cancer Center have discovered a link between the female hormone estrogen and the disease — and tobacco smoke makes it worse.

Study co-author Dr. Margie Clapper says for the first time it’s been found that the lung can change estrogen into a different form, one that causes cancer.

“This could lead to new therapies that might be hormonally based,” said Clapper. “It suggests that perhaps certain profiles of hormones might be indicative of high risk for lung cancer or even a way to predict outcome after diagnoses.

Lab mice were used in the study, but Dr. Clapper expects similar results in humans.