Cancer of the lungs is related to smoking because smoking is considered to be the primary cause of this cancer. Still, what most people may not be aware of is the fact that persons who have never smoked can also be diagnosed with lung cancer. Research reveals that as many as 10-20% of lung cancer patients have never smoked at all. This statistic highlights an important reality: It goes even to the extent of showing that even those who do not smoke are not safe from lung cancer.

In this particular article, five important lung cancer risk factors that the non-smoker patients present are going to be discussed and we will see the best chest specialists in Thane opinion. This knowledge may help people minimise their risks or get medical attention in case needed more effectively.

Non-Smokers, These 5 Reasons can be the Cause of your Lung Cancer 

  1. Radon Exposure and Lung Cancer

Radon is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas, naturally occurring in the earth due to the breakdown of elements uranium and radium. This chemical compound has no color, has no smell, and doesn’t taste like anything, thus making it very hard to notice its presence without laboratory equipment. Radon finds its way into homes, schools, and workplaces through gaps on the floor, walls, and foundation. After entering a home, it crawls on those items like drapes, garments, and interior walls, which delay its elimination.

Living in a house with high radon concentrations for a long time has been attributed to the development of lung cancer. The gas decays into radioactive particles that can be inhaled, which then settle in the lungs and have long-term effects on lung tissue. Radon is ranked high among the causes of lung cancer among those who have never smoked or used cigarettes in any form.

  1. Contact with cancer-producing substances (carcinogens)

According to Dr. Amol Bhnaushali, the best chest specialists in Thane, there are other agents that cause lung cancer include asbestos, benzene, chemicals used in the work environment, etc. Inhale or skin contact with these chemicals often enough, and these act as carcinogens that mutate the lung cells. These carcinogens can be stored in the body for years and therefore cause the risk rate to rise even with the first instance.

For instance, asbestos, which is a type of mineral that used to be applied in the production of construction-related items, is well associated with mesothelioma, which is a type of lung cancer. 

  1. Air pollution and lung cancer 

Another cause of lung cancer is pollution, whereby simple pollutants in the air harm non-smokers. Particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, and other chemicals released by cars and industries, as well as in many household products, harm lung tissue. The accumulation of these changes happens due to impaired air quality and has a negative effect on the mutated DNA cells that may cause the emergence of cancerous cells.

  1. The Effects of Passive Smoking

Clinical studies have firmly established secondhand smoking as a cause of lung cancer among people who never smoked. The level of risk that is associated with lung cancer increases with the level of secondhand smoke exposure. This risk is even higher for those living with a smoker because long-term exposure to tobacco smoke causes scarring of lung tissue.

One should understand that cigarette smoke comprises many chemicals that can easily settle on fabrics such as clothes, furniture, or walls, and this is referred to as third-hand smoke. Effective personal and public hygiene puts out that only exposed people who also breathe in the residual toxin on such contaminated surfaces get exposed and that lung cancer can result.

  1. Relationship between Gene and Lung Cancer

Not all lung cancers are due to external causes. Occasionally, the occurrence of a disease is brought about by genetic mutation to some extent. Somatic mutations are those that tend to occur at some point in a human being’s life span and are not hereditary. Abnormalities in a number of genes, such as TP53, EGFR, and KRAS, are well known to be associated with lung cancer.

Of these mutations, certain are directly attributable to smoking, while others take place without smoking at all. It is still unknown what causes such individuals to develop these mutations, but such factors as environmental factors or aging could have had a role.

Conclusion

Lung cancer is actually a multifactorial disease, which is defined by numerous factors that work on people who have never smoked. If you think you are at risk based on the factors mentioned above, such as radon, carcinogen, air pollution, secondhand smoking, genetic mutation, among others, you should seek the assistance of a doctor. This is why early diagnosis and management should preferably be made.

Contact Dr. Amol Bhanushali Hospital, one of the best chest specialists in Thane, for proper guidance.