Risk Factors for Lung cancer
List of Risk Factors for Lung cancer
The list of risk factors mentioned for Lung cancer
in various sources
includes:
Risk factor statistics for Lung cancer:
The following are statistics from various sources
about the risk factors for Lung cancer:
- Risk of lung cancer 54% higher in African American men than white men America (CBCF Health Organisation, 2004)
- African Americans are 50% more likely to get the disease than whites in America (CBCF Health Organisation, 2004)
Risk factors discussion:
What You Need To Know About Cancer - An Overview: NCI (Excerpt)
Smoking accounts for more than 85 percent of all lung
cancer deaths. For smokers, the risk of getting lung cancer
increases with the amount of tobacco smoked each day, the
number of years they have smoked, the type of tobacco
product, and how deeply they inhale. Overall, for those who
smoke one pack a day, the chance of getting lung cancer is
about 10 times greater than for nonsmokers. Cigarette
smokers are also more likely than nonsmokers to develop
several other types of cancer, including oral cancer and
cancers of the larynx, esophagus, pancreas, bladder, kidney,
and cervix. Smoking may also increase the likelihood of
developing cancers of the stomach, liver, prostate, colon,
and rectum. The risk of cancer begins to decrease soon after
a smoker quits, and the risk continues to decline gradually
each year after quitting. (Source: excerpt from What You Need To Know About Cancer - An Overview: NCI)
What You Need To Know About Cancer - An Overview: NCI (Excerpt)
Studies suggest that exposure to environmental tobacco
smoke, also called secondhand smoke, increases the risk of
lung cancer for nonsmokers. (Source: excerpt from What You Need To Know About Cancer - An Overview: NCI)
What You Need To Know About Cancer - An Overview: NCI (Excerpt)
People who smoke cigars or pipes have a risk for cancers
of the oral cavity that is similar to the risk for people
who smoke cigarettes. Cigar smokers also have an increased
chance of developing cancers of the lung, larynx, esophagus,
and pancreas. (Source: excerpt from What You Need To Know About Cancer - An Overview: NCI)
What You Need To Know About Lung Cancer: NCI (Excerpt)
Researchers have discovered several causes of lung cancer
-- most are related to the use of tobacco.
-
Cigarettes. Smoking cigarettes causes lung cancer.
Harmful substances, called carcinogens ,
in tobacco damage the cells in the lungs. Over time, the
damaged cells may become cancerous. The likelihood that a
smoker will develop lung cancer is affected by the age at
which smoking began, how long the person has smoked, the
number of cigarettes smoked per day, and how deeply the
smoker inhales. Stopping smoking greatly reduces a person's
risk for developing lung cancer.
-
Cigars and Pipes. Cigar and pipe smokers have a
higher risk of lung cancer than nonsmokers. The number of
years a person smokes, the number of pipes or cigars smoked
per day, and how deeply the person inhales all affect the
risk of developing lung cancer. Even cigar and pipe smokers
who do not inhale are at increased risk for lung, mouth, and
other types of cancer.
-
Environmental Tobacco Smoke. The chance of
developing lung cancer is increased by exposure to
environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) -- the smoke in the air
when someone else smokes. Exposure to ETS, or secondhand
smoke, is called involuntary or passive smoking.
-
Radon .
Radon is an invisible, odorless, and tasteless radioactive
gas that occurs naturally in soil and rocks. It can cause
damage to the lungs that may lead to lung cancer. People who
work in mines may be exposed to radon and, in some parts of
the country, radon is found in houses. Smoking increases the
risk of lung cancer even more for those already at risk
because of exposure to radon. A kit available at most
hardware stores allows homeowners to measure radon levels in
their homes. The home radon test is relatively easy to use
and inexpensive. Once a radon problem is corrected, the
hazard is gone for good.
-
Asbestos .
Asbestos is the name of a group of minerals that occur
naturally as fibers and are used in certain industries.
Asbestos fibers tend to break easily into particles that can
float in the air and stick to clothes. When the particles
are inhaled, they can lodge in the lungs, damaging cells and
increasing the risk for lung cancer. Studies have shown that
workers who have been exposed to large amounts of asbestos
have a risk of developing lung cancer that is 3 to 4 times
greater than that for workers who have not been exposed to
asbestos. This exposure has been observed in such industries
as shipbuilding, asbestos mining and manufacturing,
insulation work, and brake repair. The risk of lung cancer
is even higher among asbestos workers who also smoke.
Asbestos workers should use the protective equipment
provided by their employers and follow recommended work
practices and safety procedures.
-
Pollution. Researchers have found a link between
lung cancer and exposure to certain air pollutants, such as
by-products of the combustion of diesel and other fossil
fuels. However, this relationship has not been clearly
defined, and more research is being done.
-
Lung Diseases. Certain lung diseases, such as
tuberculosis (TB), increase a person's chance of developing
lung cancer. Lung cancer tends to develop in areas of the
lung that are scarred from TB.
-
Personal History. A person who has had lung cancer
once is more likely to develop a second lung cancer compared
with a person who has never had lung cancer. Quitting
smoking after lung cancer is diagnosed may prevent the
development of a second lung cancer.
(Source: excerpt from
What You Need To Know About Lung Cancer: NCI)
Risks factors for Lung cancer: medical news summaries:
The following medical news items
are relevant to risk factors for Lung cancer:
About risk factors:
Risk factors for Lung cancer are factors that do not seem
to be a direct cause of the disease,
but seem to be associated in some way.
Having a risk factor for Lung cancer
makes the chances
of getting a condition higher but does
not always lead to Lung cancer.
Also, the absence of any risk factors
or having a protective factor does not necessarily
guard you against getting Lung cancer.
For general information and a list of risk factors,
see the risk center.
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