The World Cancer Research Organization’s body has revealed that the proportion of people with lung cancer who have never smoked is increasing. The body cited “air pollution” an important factor behind the rise.
According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), Lung Cancer in people who have never smoked cigarettes or tobacco is now estimated to be the fifth highest cause of cancer deaths worldwide. It said, “Lung Cancer in never smokers is also occurring almost exclusively as adenocarcinoma, which has become the most dominant of the four main subtypes of the disease in both men and women globally.”
An IARC study published in the Lancet Respiratory Medicine Journal says that 2,00,000 cases of adenocarcinoma were associated with exposure to air pollution in 2022. The study also found that the largest burden of adenocarcinoma attributable to air pollution was found in East Asia, and that too particularly China.
Adenocarcinoma is a type of carcinoma where the cancer develops in an organ or gland. It is the most dominant in lung cancers. Mostly developed in mucus producing glands in colon, breasts, stomach, esophagus, lungs, pancreas or prostrate.
With a decline in smoking prevalence (as in UK and US), the proportion of lung cancers diagnosed among those who never smoked tends to increase. The dramatical rise in non-smokers facing lung cancer has come over in the last decade. Notably, the rise also comes at a point when smoking has significantly declined in the year 2021.
Lung cancer is risk prone more among the females and Asian people. The female non-smokers are at a double risk to get lung cancer as compared to the male non-smokers.
Lung cancer has always been associated with smoking, however only 15% of the smokers end up getting the disease. Therefore, there are various factors which lead to Lung cancer and that is why it is on a rise among non-smokers. Apart from the air pollution, there are other reasons for the cause which include:
The role of Genetics
Certain genetic factors make it easier for some people becoming vulnerable to lung cancer. Lung cancer in non-smokers has different genetic mutations in it. There is a possibility of the presence of these kind of genetic mutations by birth only in the non-smokers. Fewer acquired mutations turn the cells malignant.
Radon gas
Radon gas is considered to be one of the leading causes of lung cancer in non-smokers. A significant number of lung cancer deaths worldwide is due to radon gas. It is an invisible, odorless gas that gets accumulated in homes that are built to soil containing even modest deposits of uranium.
Secondhand smoke
It’s when someone else smokes and you suffer. Basically, secondhand smoke refers to the tobacco smoke that you inhale from another person’s cigarette or cigar. The secondhand smoke is a leading cause of lung cancer leading to worldwide deaths. Women and children are the most vulnerable to it.
There are also chances of getting exposed to a third-hand smoke. It is when invisible film of nicotine and other chemicals is left on furniture, surfaces and clothing. It is when you touch it and introduce within your body. Contaminated floors and carpets are other spaces which make you vulnerable to the chemicals which can cause lung cancer.
Occupational exposure
If you have an occupation that is into industrial and manufacturing industries, you too are at a risk of developing cancers. There are many carcinogenic (cancer-causing) agents used in these industries which can be inhaled by you and alleviate the risk of lung cancer. The cancer causing agents can be solvents, toxins, pesticides and heavy metals like Arsenic, Beryllium, CO2, Coal smoke and soot, Chromium, cobalt, dioxin, formaldehyde and more.
Construction industries, coal or coke plants, ceramics, rubber and glass manufacturing industries are some other highest contributors towards air pollution, at the same time lung cancer in humans.
Early signs of lung cancer in non-smokers
There can be some early signs of lung cancer that non-smokers face. Even visible clearly, there is a possibility to miss out on these. And if you have a family history, then you got to necessarily know these-
A deadly cough, neither does it goes away nor improves. Rather worsens over time.
Frequent chest pain or discomfort
A state of fatigue, more than often
A shortened breath, followed by difficulty in swallowing
Loss of appetite and weight loss
A reoccurrence of lung infections every once in a while, especially pneumonia
Swelling of face and neck
Well, there is no possible way out to prevent lung cancer as it is all over in the air. But, there are certain precautions that might necessarily help. Like, get a radon home test, make sure you are always in non-smoking spaces, ensure occupational safety guidelines are followed and never let it happen in your home or working spaces.
There is a need for an urgent monitoring of the changing risk of lung cancers with further studies to identify possible causal factors causing the disease in populations where smoking wasn’t considered the main cause. The future strategies will further combat air pollution and curtail tobacco use that will decline the global proportion of adenocarcinoma.