What is the connection between DNA/Genetics and the study of oncology? particularly lung cancer?

Cancer cells are always derived from cells of your own body. They do not simply just decide to go out of control, something in their programing becomes disrupted resulting in unchecked growth. This disruption is a change in the previously normal cell's DNA.

There are six hallmarks of cancer, and DNA mutation can cause any of them:
1) Ability to produce the molecules they need to grow on their own (can feed themselves)
2) Ability to ignore signals from the body to stop growing
3) Resistance to efforts from the body to kill the cancer
4) Unlimited growth potential (even if in perfect conditions, normal cells have a limited life span, cancer does not)
5) Ability to grow new blood vessels in order to feed themselves
6) Ability to migrate throughout the body (metastasize)

Oncology benefits from the study of genetics because genetics can help determine the mutations underlying these types of hallmarks. If for a particular type of cancer, it is known that a certain mutation causes the the tumor's ability to (2) ignore growth stopping signals from the body, then oncologists may be able to look at an individual's DNA and determine if they are at risk for that type of cancer by possessing that mutation. Additionally, as gene therapy becomes increasingly more effective, it may be possible to cure certain cancers by actually going into the genome and replacing the mutated version of the cancer causing gene with one that is normal.

check out this research group......you can ask your question on their message board http://boinc.bakerlab.org/rosetta/