Who is at risk of lung cancer?
Lung cancer is a dangerous illness that can happen to just about anyone. The disease occurs in men and women of all ages, and it's the most deadly form of cancer around the world. With that in mind, what can people do to reduce their risks of developing lung cancer? Fortunately, medical researchers believe they've pinpointed several risk factors of lung cancer.
Age
The older you get, the more likely you are to develop lung cancer. Statistics show that your chances of getting lung cancer increase significantly after the age of 40, and people above the age of 60 are even more vulnerable to the disease. Beyond the age of 79, an estimated one in 13 men will be diagnosed with lung cancer.
Gender
Men are more likely to develop lung cancer than women, but the difference has grown somewhat smaller during the past several years. The fact that more women are smoking and eating unhealthy diets may be contributing to the rising instances of lung cancer among women. Lung cancer recently surpassed breast cancer as the leading fatal cancer among women.
Smoking
Smoking is the most significant risk factor that's been connected with the onset of lung cancer. The most aggressive types of lung cancer, small-cell lung cancers, occur almost exclusively among smokers -- just 1 percent of people with small-cell cancers are nonsmokers. Cigarette smoke is dangerous because it contains cancer-causing carcinogens which are breathed directly into the lungs. The majority of people who get lung cancer -- an estimated 85 percent -- are either smokers or former smokers.
Secondhand smoke also contains the dangerous chemicals that cause lung cancer. In fact, researchers have connected secondhand smoke to lung cancer deaths. People who spend significant amounts of time around other smokers are up to 30 percent more likely to develop lung cancer, researchers learned. Several cities and counties have approved public bans on cigarette smoke in hopes of protecting people from the harmful effects of these chemicals.
Chemicals
Airborne chemicals or particles at home or work can also cause lung cancer. At home, radon gas that comes up form the ground can get trapped the house, where it is then inhaled. Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among people who don't smoke. In old office and industrial buildings, chemicals such as arsenic, asbestos and silica can be drawn into the lungs and cause cancer as well.
Foods
Researchers are still debating whether the foods we eat might contribute to the development of lung cancer. Some researchers believe eating high amounts of fat and cholesterol might cause lung cancer. However, there are just as many studies indicating several foods help reduce the risk of cancer. Eating unhealthy food is definitely nowhere near as bad as smoking cigarettes.
