Causes of Lung Cancer Other Than Smoking

In response to a reader's question, "How do we explain someone who has never smoked developing cancer...!", we wanted to share the causes of lung cancer other than smoking.

Lung cancer, has become the most common cancer and the cancer that causes the most deaths worldwide. Lung cancer accounts for approximately %13 of cancer cases and approximately %18 of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Since smoking is the main cause of lung cancer, this disease can be considered preventable. Indeed, smokers have a 25-40 times higher risk of developing lung cancer than nonsmokers. However, smoking is not the only cause of lung cancer. Let us now examine the other factors that cause lung cancer.

What Are the Environmental Causes of Lung Cancer Other Than Smoking?

Radon Gas and Lung Cancer

Radon is a noble gas released most heavily from rocks and waste that can become trapped inside homes or buildings. It is invisible, tasteless, and odorless. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, radon causes more than 20.000 cases of lung cancer each year in the United States alone, making it the second leading cause of lung cancer . It is thought that approximately one in 15 homeless people in the United States has high radon levels.

Related Topic: The relationship between radon and lung cancer (in detail)

Other Substances

Certain substances have been shown to have carcinogenic properties and to cause an increase in lung cancer risk. A carcinogen is a substance capable of causing cancer. Describing a substance as carcinogenic does not mean that exposure will necessarily cause cancer, but it increases the risk of developing cancer, particularly depending on the dose.

Some of the substances identified as carcinogenic for lung cancer are: asbestos dust, arsenic, nickel, beryllium, cadmium, diesel exhaust and certain forms of silica and chromium. In people heavily exposed to these substances, the risk of developing lung cancer is higher than the cancer risk caused by smoking.

Diet

Scientists are studying many different foods and dietary supplements to observe whether they alter the risk of developing lung cancer. In particular, we know that beta-carotene supplements increase the risk of lung cancer in smokers who take them. An additional increase in the risk of developing lung cancer has also been found in smokers who drink at least 1 glass of alcohol every day.

Drinking water with high arsenic concentrations, may increase the risk of lung cancer.

Radiotherapy to the Chest

People who have previously received radiotherapy to the chest for any cancer have been found to have a higher risk of developing lung cancer.

How Does Family History Affect Lung Cancer?

Having family members with lung cancer is a risk factor for lung cancer. People whose relatives have lung cancer have approximately 2 times the risk of developing lung cancer compared with those without a family history of lung cancer. This is because smoking tends to continue within families, and having smokers in the family exposes other members to secondhand smoke. Greater exposure to radon and other substances that can cause lung cancer, as a result of living or working in the same place, may also increase the risk. However, there is currently insufficient scientific evidence to say that the increased risk of developing lung cancer in people with lung cancer is due to hereditary causes.

Recognizing our risk factors is among the most important steps in cancer prevention and early diagnosis.