Risk Factors

Home Abstract What are the Lungs? What is Lung Cancer? Small-cell Cancer Non-small-cell Cancer Glossary At a Glance Bibliography/Acknowledgement

The Risk factors (**) are:

Smoking

Smoking is the number one cause of lung cancer. The more time and quantity you smoke, the greater your risk of lung cancer. Cigarette smoke contains more than 4,000 different chemicals, many of which are proven cancer-causing substances, or carcinogens. Smoking cigars or pipes also increases the risk of lung cancer.

But if you stop smoking, the risk of lung cancer decreases each year as normal cells replace abnormal cells (which have been contaminated by smoking). After ten years, the risk drops to a level that is one-third to one-half of the risk for people who continue to smoke. In addition, quitting smoking reduces in excessive amounts the risk of developing other smoking-related diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, emphysema and chronic bronchitis.

Exposure to Second Hand Smoke

Many of the chemicals in tobacco smoke also affect the nonsmoker who is inhaling the smoke, making "secondhand smoking" another important cause of lung cancer.

Exposure to substances like asbestos,petroleum products, arsenic, nickel

Another leading cause is on-the-job exposure to cancer-causing substances or carcinogens. e.g. Asbestos, Uranium, to name a few that can cause lung cancer.

Exposure to Radon

Radon is considered to be the second leading cause of lung cancer today. Radon gas can come up through the soil under a home or building and enter through gaps and cracks in the foundation or insulation, pipes, drains, walls or other openings.

Inheritance

The family history of cancer may demand a watch over cancer realted symptoms.

(**)Some people develop lung cancer without getting exposed to any of these risk factors.

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