Besides helping you breathe, talk, smell, lungs also help deliver oxygen to the cells in your body. It warms air to match your body temperature and also removes waste glasses, including carbon dioxide. But just like any other in the body, it can also develop cancer. There could be many risk factors, but cigarette smoking is one of the most common causes of lung cancer, accounting for 90% of all cases, says Dr Pooja Babbar, Consultant (Department of Oncology), CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram. According to her, the risk of developing lung cancer is directly related to the number of cigarettes. In an interaction with the OnlyMyHealth team, she discusses how smoking increases one’s risk of lung cancer and lists other factors that can contribute to it.
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Impact Of Smoking On The Lungs
According to the American Lung Association (ALA), smoking is the number one cause of lung cancer and causes about 90% of lung cancer cases. The cumulative risk of lung cancer is significantly higher among heavy smokers compared to lifetime non-smokers (30% vs. 1%), says Dr Babbar.
She explains, “Smoking has substances like nicotine which is carcinogenic and it introduces carcinogens into the body, which are metabolised in the liver, leading to the release of free oxygen, oxidants, and free radicals that cause DNA damage.”
Factors That Increase Your Risk Of Cancer
Apart from smoking, several factors can increase a person's susceptibility to lung cancer.These include:
- Exposure to second-hand smoke
- Smoking marijuana or cocaine
- Occupational and environmental hazards, such as asbestos exposure (common in occupations like plumber, electrician, steamfitters, insulation workers, plastic manufacturer, chemical manufacturer, non-metallic mineral stone products makers, railways-shipbuilders, etc.)
- Increased radon gas concentration in the home
- Indoor burning of unprocessed biomass fuels
- Air pollution
- Diesel exhaust
- Radiation therapy
- Certain lung diseases like diffuse pulmonary fibrosis, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD)
- Genetic
- Hispanic individuals have lower odds of lung cancer as compared with non-Hispanic individuals
How To Reduce Risk?
To reduce the risk of lung cancer, the most important step is quitting smoking, according to Dr Babbar. Since smoking is the primary cause of most lung cancer cases, making smoking cessation is crucial.
“Even if smokers are unable to quit completely, reducing the number of cigarettes smoked can still lower the risk by approximately 30%. Observational studies have shown that smokers who previously consumed more than 15 cigarettes (or an equivalent amount of tobacco) per day, and continued to smoke but cut back by 50%, experienced a 30% reduction in lung cancer risk,” the doctor said.
Other methods to reduce the risk of lung cancer include
- Wearing masks to minimise exposure to environmental pollution
- Taking measures to reduce air pollution
- Adopting a diet rich in antioxidants while maintaining a healthy weight
- Complete abstinence from smoking for more than 15 years, as this significantly reduces the risk of lung cancer by 80 to 90% compared to current smokers
Bottomline
According to Dr Babbar screening guidelines for lung cancer involve early evaluation with a low-dose CT scan. However, these screenings are typically recommended for high-risk populations based on age, smoking history, radiographic findings, occupational exposure, and certain baseline pulmonary pathology. It's important to note that not every individual needs to undergo these screenings. However, regular health check-ups can help in timely diagnosis and treatment.
