Smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer. The majority of lung cancers (85%) are caused by smoking for a long time. However, it is not the only reason. In fact, there are many other causes of lung cancer even if you don't smoke.

Lung cancer can affect both smokers and non-smokers. Here are 4 other, most common causes.

Secondhand smoke

Secondhand smoke is a form of inhaling cigarette smoke from the air, without directly smoking it. When smoking, smokers often exhale two main and secondary smoke streams and 20% of secondhand smoke is inhaled, the remaining 80% is called secondary smoke. The secondary stream is much more toxic and carcinogenic than the main stream.

Cigarette smoke is made up of a mixture of gas and dust. According to the International Health Organization (WHO), there are about 4,000 chemicals in tobacco smoke. 40 of which are classified as carcinogenic, including substances such as nicotine, carbon oxide, tar, benzene, formaldehyde, ammonia, acetone, arsenic, hydrogen cyanide, ... affect the whole nervous system, pulse blood and endocrine. Cause cardiovascular disease, memory loss and cancer.

 Children and the elderly, especially sensitive to tobacco smoke. The same goes for people with heart disease or respiratory disease.

• For adults: The risk of increasing cardiovascular disease by 25% .... Especially lung cancer causes the risk of death from passive smoking.
• For children: cigarette smoke is a cause of suffocation, bronchitis, asthma and respiratory infections.

Experts say the smoking cessation program is not only useful for smokers but also for those around them.

Cough, difficulty swallowing, chest tightness ... are signs of lung cancer risk.

Environmental factors: potential risk of lung cancer.

• Inhalation of Radon or Arimang gases

Radon: is a rare, colorless, radioactive radioactive gas that forms and exists naturally in the soil. This gas is especially toxic to the lungs. Radon exposure is considered the second most common cause of lung cancer. In the US, Radon is the cause of lung cancer, causing about 21,000 deaths each year.

According to the American Cancer Society, people can be exposed to radon gas in their homes or on structures built on highly radioactive rock and soil. Radon from the ground, rocks can escape and penetrate the building through cracks in the wall or through concrete masonry. Therefore, people who spend a lot of time in the basement or on the lower floors of the building are at high risk of exposure to radon.

Asbestos: a substance that can cause many types of lung diseases, including lung cancer. Smoking and asbestos has a combined effect in leading to the formation of lung cancer. For smokers exposed to asbestos, the risk of infection increases by 45 times. Also asbestos can cause pleural cancer, called pleural mesothelioma (different from lung cancer).

• Air pollution

In 2013, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) of the World Health Organization (WHO) declared air pollution as one of the main causes of death from lung cancer. Dr. Dana Loomis, IARC representative, said the results of the study pointed to a skyrocketing risk of lung cancer in individuals exposed to air pollution.

Small particulate matter (PM2.5 dust) and sulfate aerosols (found in vehicle exhaust) are associated with an increased risk of lung cancer. Increasing the amount of nitrogen dioxide in the air by 10 parts per billion increases the risk of disease by 14%. According to estimates, outdoor air pollution is responsible for 1-2% of cases of lung cancer.

There is temporary evidence that indoor air pollution associated with burning wood, charcoal, feces or plant residues for home cooking or heating increases the risk of lung cancer. This risk affects about 2.4 billion people globally and it is believed to be the cause of 1.5% of lung cancer deaths.

Working in polluted environments and many chemicals also increases the likelihood of cancer. For example, the environment contains many toxic chemicals such as uranium, radium or radioactive substances. In addition to chemicals in the process you work in the workplace such as copper, coal, asbestos, chromium, asphalt ... can also cause lung cancer.

Lifestyle

Although not smoking can significantly reduce the risk of lung cancer, non-smokers can still get sick if they lead an unhealthy lifestyle. In addition, an unhealthy diet (eating a lot of red meat, fast food, processed foods, etc.) can also increase the risk of disease. According to the American Cancer Society, the best way to prevent lung cancer in both smokers and non-smokers is to eat a healthy diet with lots of green vegetables, fresh fruits, etc.

Having chronic and atopic lung disease

People with long-term lung-related diseases such as pneumoconiosis, tuberculosis, and silicosis are all likely to have lung cancer.

Another case is due to bronchitis that causes scarring during your treatment. Normal cell scales can develop into lung cancer without proper and timely treatment.

Genetic factors

People with parents or siblings with lung cancer are twice as likely to get it. However, it is unclear whether the increased risk of lung cancer is due to genes or exposure to secondhand smoke due to smoking by relatives. However, according to research published in the 2017 Oncology Letter, very few specific genes related to lung cancer have been identified. The researchers said that it may be a combination of both genetic factors and environmental pollution (because family members live in the same environment).

In addition, according to the American Cancer Treatment Center, people who do not smoke but have family members who have had lung cancer are at a higher risk of developing the disease.

A mutation is a random change in a person's genes. Mutations can be harmless — but can also lead to a disease. Some of the mutations have now been identified as causing lung cancer and the most common ones are EGFR and ALK. According to the American Cancer Society, some genetic mutations tend to be more common in patients who do not smoke than those who smoke.

Screening for lung cancer is a way to detect early and make treatment more effective. Image: City International Hospital.

Lung Cancer Screening Package at CIH

Tests Included
Medical consultation
Comprehensive medical history & physical examinations
Specialist consultation
Diagnostic Imaging
Chest Low-dose CT (LDCT)
Total cost of the individual tests (VND)	2,350,000
Package Price	1,900,000

 

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