Smoking increases your lung cancer by 15 to 30 times versus non-smokers’ risk. This cancer caused by smoking can also cause cancer in others parts of your body.
Prevention Tip: The good news is that if you quit smoking at any age, you can significantly lower your risk of developing lung cancer.
Secondhand smoke exposure
If you do not smoke, but you are around someone who does smoke regularly, this increases your risk for lung cancer as well.
When you breathe in secondhand smoke, it is very similar to smoking. Forty percent of adults and 50% of kids who don’t smoke are exposed to secondhand smoke on a regular basis.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that some 7,300 people who are non-smokers die from secondhand smoke which has caused them to have lung cancer.
Prevention Tip: Protect yourself by limiting your exposure to smokers as much as possible to significantly decrease your risk for lung cancer.
Exposure to asbestos, radon gas and other carcinogens
Asbestos, arsenic, chromium, diesel exhaust, and some forms of silica, and nickel can also increase your chances of developing lung cancer.
Some industries in which these chemicals are prevalent include factories, demolition settings, insulation, shipbuilding, carpentry, and for those working with the installation of vehicle brake linings.
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Radon gas, which comes from the breakdown of uranium in soil, rock and water, is another factor that can lead to you developing lung cancer. It can accumulate in your home or a building. Radon is particularly important to be aware of because it is almost undetectable via smell, taste or sight.
However, it is potent and causes 20,000 cases of lung cancer each year according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It is also the second leading cause of lung cancer.