Causes of Lung Cancer

The causes of lung cancer are important to understand to prevent and treat lung cancer.

Doctors don’t know what causes lung cancer in people. It is impossible to know how to prevent lung cancer completely. Doctors, on the other hand, do know some causes of lung cancer, many of which can be prevented.

Tobacco Use and Lung Cancer

This number drops to 75 percent in women. Many people know that tobacco may be playing a big role as to why you have lung cancer but some people find it hard to quit smoking. It is important to stop smoking as soon as possible if you don’t want to get lung cancer.

In research studies, doctors have found that the younger a person is when they start smoking and the number of cigarettes they smoke each day is related to coming down with lung cancer. Doctors take the number of years a person smokes cigarettes and multiply it by the number of packs of cigarettes they smoked each day and get a number known as the "pack-years". The higher the number of pack-years, the greater is your risk of lung cancer. Thirty to fifty pack-years is a high number. If you smoke filtered cigarettes or cigarettes low in tar and nicotine, you have a lesser chance of developing lung cancer.

Exposure to secondhand smoke can also increase your chances of developing lung cancer. If you quit your smoke exposure or quit smoking completely, you can reduce your risk of getting lung cancer to normal after healing your lungs for about 10-15 years. Pipe or cigar smokers are at a greater risk of developing lung cancer have a risk that is less than for cigarette smokers.

Other Causes of lung cancer

Another one of the causes of lung cancer is exposure to asbestos. Asbestos was a commonly-used insulation material that is now not used much at all because of the high risk of developing a form of lung cancer called mesothelioma. Asbestos fibers are like sharp needles that get clogged in your lungs and can irritate your lungs so that cancer can grow. Carpenters have learned how to prevent lung cancer by putting on safety gear and removing all asbestos from homes, buildings and schools build in the 1970s or earlier. Asbestos is banned for use as insulation now.

Your age is a risk for lung cancer. The older you are, the greater is the chance of having been exposed to pollution, radon, cigarette smoke and asbestos. The risk of lung cancer is higher. Lung cancer is more common in men. Your family history can be a factor in getting lung cancer. If you have a parent who suffers from lung cancer, you stand a higher chance of having lung cancer yourself.

Exposure to radon, a radioactive substance that is often found in basements, is a cause of lung cancer. If you have a basement bedroom, you might want to have a radon detector in your room to make sure radon isn’t leaking up from the earth into your basement. Experts say that one in fifteen homes has a high radon level in it.

Reduce Your Risk

Researchers have found that there are some nutrients you can eat in order to reduce the risk of developing lung cancer. You can take nutritional supplements that contain antioxidants, which fight off cancer cells, carotenoids (found in certain fruits and vegetables), vitamin C (found in tomatoes and citrus fruits), vitamin E and selenium. None of these can completely prevent lung cancer but they may reduce your chances of developing the disease. The best prevention of lung cancer is to stop your exposure to cigarette smoke.

Written by Dr. Christine Traxler
July 2009
Reviewed by Natalie Thomas
08-09-09