Lung Cancer: Who’s at Risk?
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 smok