Weekly · FL Post Wire
Lung cancer rates have been falling in the U.S. for decades but the disease remains the country’s leading cause of cancer deaths . Some 229,410 cases and 124,990 deaths are expected this year, according to the American Cancer Society . Although the plummeting case rate has been tied to a historic decrease in cigarette smoking , around 20 percent of cases are in people who have never smoked, the Lung Cancer Research Foundation says.
One such case is American Pope Leo XIV , a 71-year-old who has never smoked, and recently underwent successful surgery for early-stage lung cancer. He was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma, the most common form of lung cancer, but will need no further treatment, according to the Vatican . There are many reasons people who have never smoked may develop lung cancer, often related to their environment or family history.
Many lung cancer cases are tied to causes other than smoking cigarettes. Pope Leo XIV, who has never smoked, recently had surgery for early-stage lung cancer (AFP/Getty) Air pollution Outdoor air pollution has long been known to contribute to lung cancer. This pollution comes from coal-fired power plants, vehicle exhaust, wildfire smoke and other industrial sources, according to the American Lung Association .
“Particle pollution increases the risk of dying early, heart disease and asthma attacks, and it can also interfere with the growth and function of the lungs,” the group says. However, there’s indoor air pollution to worry about, too. The gas radon is emitted from uranium in soil and enters in homes through cracks in doors and walls.
Inhaling the odorless and tasteless for too long can cause lung cancer. The only way to detect radon in the home is with an air test or digital detector, the association notes. People can stay safe by wearing a well-fitting respirator, blocking cracks in windows and doors and avoiding the outside on days when pollution is at unsafe levels.
Short-term testing - with test kits sent to a lab - can take up to a week. Long-term tests are more accurate but take at least three months. Asbestos Another at-home threat that contributes to lung cancer is asbestos.
This mineral fiber found in rock and soil has been used in building construction materials for insulation and fire retardant. It’s also used in heat-resistant fabrics, roofing shingles, floor tiles and car parts, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency .
Breathing in asbestos fibers released into the air during home maintenance or remodeling can cause lung cancer, including mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer found in the lining of the lung. Materials with asbestos that aren’t damaged or disturbed are unlikely to pose a health risk and should be left alone when in good condition. But damaged asbestos is dangerous and people should not stay in homes with asbestos that appears damaged.
People can stay safe from any exposure by identifying where there might be asbestos and hiring a professional to inspect and remove any harmful materials. Secondhand smoke People may not be smokers themselves and U.S. smoking rates have dropped to record lows but millions of Americans still smoke cigarettes . And even brief secondhand smoke exposure leaves people vulnerable to the same cancer-causing chemicals in cigarettes, the American Cancer Society warns.
Secondhand smoke is tied to more than 7,300 lung cancer deaths each year. Adults who don’t smoke but are exposed increase their risk for lung cancer by 20-30 percent, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . Avoiding secondhand smoke when possible is the best way to stay safe and reduce risk.
Unfortunately, that’s harder for one age group. “Young children are most affected by secondhand smoke and least able to avoid it,” the society notes. Secondhand smoke is tied to more than 7,300 lung cancer deaths each year (AFP/Getty) Genetic history While only between 5-10 percent of cases of lung cancer in non-smokers are hereditary, carriers of a certain gene can face major risks for lung cancer.
People with the a mutation in the EGFR gene - a gene variant known as EGFR T790M - face around 25 times the risk for developing lung cancer as non-carriers, according to researchers at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School. “To my knowledge it’s one of the strongest cancer risk-increasing mutations that has ever been found,” Alexander Gusev, HMS associate professor of medicine at Dana-Farber, said in a September statement . There’s nothing people can do to reduce risk for the gene.
But people can reduce overall cancer risk by making healthy lifestyle choices, like staying active and eating well. Ultra-processed foods Increasing research has tied eating ultra-processed foods with lung cancer risk, as well as risks for other cancers. One previous study of over 101,000 adults found people with a higher intake of ultra-processed foods had a 41 percent higher risk of developing lung cancer, even after accounting for smoking, overall diet, fitness levels and other known risk factors.
“While the study does not prove that ultra-processed foods cause lung cancer, its findings highlight diet as a potentially modifiable risk factor at the population level,” the Nevada Cancer Coalition says. Experts advise that people generally avoid these foods for better overall health. Stick to a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and healthy fats and proteins, like the doctor-backed Mediterranean diet .
Source: The Independent
