causes lung cancer in non smoker

While cigarette smoking is an undisputed cause of lung cancer, not all cases of lung cancer occur in smokers or former smokers. Each year, over 170,000 Americans develop lung cancer, and approximately ten per cent of lung cancers, or 17,000 cases, occur in non-smokers. Although not every non-smoker suffering from lung cancer will have an identifiable risk factor for development of the disease, a number of conditions and circumstances have been identified that will increase a non-smoker's chance of developing lung cancer.

    Passive smoking, or the inhalation of tobacco smoke from other smokers sharing living or working quarters, is an established risk factor for the development of lung cancer. Non-smokers who reside with a smoker have a 24% increase in risk for developing lung cancer when compared with other non-smokers. Each year, up to 3,000 lung cancer deaths are estimated to occur in the U.S. that are attributable to passive smoking.
   

Radon gas, a naturally-occurring gas that forms when uranium decays, is another known cause of lung cancer. An estimated 12% of total lung cancer deaths in both smokers and non-smokers, or 15,000 to 22,000 lung cancer-related deaths annually in the U.S, are believed to be at least partially related to radon gas exposure. Those who do smoke and are exposed to radon have an even greater risk of developing lung cancer than non-smokers who are exposed to radon gas. Radon gas can travel up through soil and enter homes through gaps in the foundation, pipes, drains, or other openings. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that one out of every 15 homes in the U.S. contains dangerous levels of radon gas. Radon gas is invisible and odorless but can be detected with simple test kits.
    Asbestos is a compound that was widely used in the past as both thermal and acoustic insulation material. Microscopic fibers of asbestos break loose from the insulation material and are released into the air where they can be inhaled into the lungs. Asbestos fibers can persist for a lifetime in lung tissue following exposure to asbestos. Both lung cancer and a type of cancer known as mesothelioma are associated with exposure to asbestos. Cigarette smoking drastically increases the chance of developing an asbestos-related lung cancer among workers exposed to asbestos; nevertheless, asbestos workers who do not smoke have a five fold greater risk of developing lung cancer than other non-smokers. Today, asbestos use is limited or banned in many countries including the Unites States.
    Heredity, since all smokers do not eventually develop lung cancer, it is likely that other factors, such as individual genetic susceptibility, may play a role in the causation of lung cancer. Numerous studies have shown that lung cancer is more likely to occur in both smoking and non-smoking relatives of those who have had lung cancer than in the general population.
    Air pollution from vehicles, industry, and power plants, can raise the likelihood of developing lung cancer in exposed individuals. It has been estimated that up to 2,000 lung cancer deaths per year may be attributable to breathing polluted air, and many experts believe that prolonged exposure to highly polluted air can carry a risk for the development of lung cancer similar to that of passive smoking.

chronic lung disease

The two most important risk factors for chronic respiratory diseases are tobacco smoke (through personal smoking and exposure to second-hand smoke) and indoor and outdoor air quality. Those who smoke cigarettes increase their risk of developing lung cancer, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and asthma. Exposure to second-hand smoke affects all Canadians, causing cancer in adult non-smokers, sudden infant death syndrome in newborns and worsening symptoms of those with asthma or COPD. All Canadians are affected by the quality of air they breathe. However, the effects are more severe in those with lung disease. People who have chronic respiratory disease should refrain from smoking (or being exposed to second-hand smoke) and as much as possible ensure a high quality of the air they breathe.

symptoms of lung cancer

symptoms of lung cancer

Lung cancer is cancer that begins in the lungs, the two organs found in the chest that help you breathe.

The lungs are made up of areas called lobes. The right lung has three lobes; the left lung has two, so there's room for the heart. When you breathe, air goes through your nose, down your windpipe (trachea), and into the lungs where it spreads through tubes called bronchi. Most lung cancer begins in the cells that line these tubes.


There are two main types of lung cancer:

    Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common type of lung cancer.
    Small cell lung cancer makes up about 20% of all lung cancer cases.

If the lung cancer is made up of both types, it is called mixed small cell/large cell cancer.

If the cancer started somewhere else in the body and spread to the lungs, it is called metastatic cancer to the lung.
Causes

Lung cancer is the deadliest type of cancer for both men and women. Each year, more people die of lung cancer than breast, colon, and prostate cancers combined.

Lung cancer is more common in older adults. It is rare in people under age 45.

Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer.

The more cigarettes you smoke per day and the earlier you started smoking, the greater your risk of lung cancer. There is no evidence that smoking low-tar cigarettes lowers the risk.

However, lung cancer has occurred in people who have never smoked.

Secondhand smoke (breathing the smoke of others) increases your risk of lung cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, an estimated 3,000 non-smoking adults will die each year from lung cancer related to breathing secondhand smoke.

The following may also increase one's risk of lung cancer:

    High levels of air pollution
    High levels of arsenic in drinking water
    Radon gas
    Asbestos
    Family history of lung cancer
    Radiation therapy to the lungs
    Exposure to cancer-causing chemicals such as uranium, beryllium, vinyl chloride, nickel chromates, coal products, mustard gas, chloromethyl ethers, gasoline, and diesel exhaust

Symptoms

Early lung cancer may not cause any symptoms. Many times, lung cancer is found when an x-ray is done for another reason.

Symptoms depend on the specific type of cancer you have, but may include:

    Cough that doesn't go away
    Coughing up blood
    Shortness of breath
    Wheezing
    Chest pain
    Loss of appetite
    Losing weight without trying
    Fatigue

Additional symptoms that may also occur with lung cancer:

    Weakness
    Swallowing difficulty
    Nail problems
    Joint pain
    Hoarseness or changing voice
    Swelling of the face
    Facial paralysis
    Eyelid drooping
    Bone pain or tenderness

These symptoms can also be due to other, less serious conditions, so it is important to talk to your health care provider.

For more information, see:

    Small cell lung cancer
    Non-small cell lung cancer

Exams and Tests

The health care provider will perform a physical exam and ask questions about your medical history. You will be asked if you smoke, and if so, how long you have smoked.

When listening to the chest with a stethoscope, the health care provider can sometimes hear fluid around the lungs, which could (but doesn't always) suggest cancer.

Tests that may be performed include:

    Chest x-ray
    Sputum cytology test to look for cancer cells
    Blood work
    CT scan of the chest
    MRI of the chest
    Positron emission tomography (PET) scan

In some cases, the health care provider may need to remove a piece of tissue from your lungs for examination under a microscope. This is called a biopsy. There are several ways to do this:

    Bronchos-copy combined with biopsy
    Pleural biopsy
    CT scan directed needle biopsy
    Mediastinoscopy with biopsy
    Open lung biopsy

For more information, see:

    Small cell lung cancer
    Non-small cell lung cancer

Treatment

Treatment depends on the specific type of lung cancer. Each type is treated differently. Chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery may be needed.

See the individual articles on the different types of lung cancer:

    Non-small cell lung cancer
    Small cell lung cancer

Outlook (Prognosis)

How well a patient does depends on the following:

    Type of lung cancer
    Whether or not the cancer has spread
    Your age
    Your overall health
    How well you respond to treatment

The earlier the cancer is found, the better the chances of survival. Lung cancer is a deadly disease. Nearly 60% of people with lung cancer die within a year. However, some people are cured and go on to live many years.
Possible Complications

The cancer may spread to other parts of the body (metastasis). Cancer treatment can cause significant side effects.
When to Contact a Medical Professional

Call your health care provider if you develop symptoms of lung cancer (particularly if you smoke).
Prevention

If you smoke, quit. It is never too late to stop smoking. You should also avoid breathing in the smoke from other people's cigarettes, cigars, or pipes.

Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables may help prevent some cases of lung cancer.

smokers lung after a year best story

I was 15 years old, walking home after school with my friend James, James called a guy over to ask him for a cigarette, I asked him for one too, I've never touched a cigarette before I just asked him to make him believe I smoke, probably just to look "cool". James and I went into his room where we smoked, I was so scared that my mom will smell it and get mad, so James gave me some of his perfume.

My mom had no idea. My whole family didn't smoke, I know that my dad used to smoke for 3 years but he quit when he married. My brother smoked but my mom didn't know he was hiding it for months. Then I started to buy my own cigarettes I smoked about 4 a day, it made me feel cooler and older. I was spiting all the time, my mom used to tell me that smokers always spit. That's why I tried not to spit in front of her, but one time when I was walking home and didn't know that she was looking out of the window and she saw me spit. But I told her that I ate something disgusting. But my mom found out, she saw a picture of me holding a cigarette.

How stupid of me to let her pick up my developed pictures. She told me to stop and I was like "ok" But I didn't, I smoked for a about a year. Then I had trouble breathing. That is when I realized that I just had to stop. I quit on my 16th birthday. that is 4 years ago and I smoked only a few cigarettes since then but not because I wanted to, I just did it to check my boyfriends reaction. I don't feel like smoking anymore but I really enjoy the smell. I promised my boyfriend that I won't start again so that gives me another reason not to start. But whenever I'm stressed out I feel like smoking but like I said.

smokers lungs after 10 years

we calculate that the risk for lung cancer probably returns to that of a nonsmoker somewhere between 10 and 15 years after smoking cessation. (We have less data on the [other smoking-related cancers].) But the risk that people have for smoking-related diseases is directly related to the total number of cigarettes they've smoked in their life. We measure that with something we call "pack-years": that's the average number of packs per day multiplied by the number of years they've smoked. The greater the pack-years, the greater the risk. When you're getting up around 50 pack-years and beyond, that's a lot. If people have a lot of pack-years, the risk of, say, lung cancer never goes back down to [the risk of a non-smoker].