lung cancer
Smoking and lung cancerLung cancer is the 2nd most common cancer in world wide (excluding non-melanoma skin cancer). There were 37,100 cases diagnosed in the UK in 2003. In most people it is related to cigarette smoking. Although some people get lung cancer who have never smoked, 9 out of 10 lung cancers are caused by smoking. Here are some facts about smoking and lung cancer
The more you smoke, the more likely you are to get lung cancer but it is the length of time you have been a smoker that is most important
Filtered and low tar cigarettes might reduce risk slightly, but most smokers cancel this out by taking more, deeper puffs or smoking more cigarettes
As soon as you stop smoking, your risk of lung cancer starts to go down
Fifteen years after you have stopped smoking, your risk of getting lung cancer is almost down to that of a non-smoker
Passive smoking (breathing other people's cigarette smoke) does increase the risk of lung cancer, but it is still much less than if you smoke yourselfHow long you've smoked is very important. We now know that if you have smoked 20 a day for 40 years, your risk of lung cancer is about 8 times more than if you smoke 40 a day for 20 years.It is almost impossible to work out the risk of occasional smoke exposure to second-hand smoke for non-smokers (passive smoking). We know that the risk to passive smokers goes up the more cigarette smoke they are exposed to. There is about a 25% increased risk of lung cancer in non-smoking husbands or wives of heavy smokers (that's the average risk plus a quarter again). And other research has measured that exposure to a lot of smoke at work (in a smoky bar or club, for example) may increase your lung cancer risk by about 17% (that's the average risk plus another sixth). Cigarette smoking is the main cause of lung cancer. But pipe and cigar smokers are still much more likely to get lung cancer than non-smokers. (They are also much more likely to get cancer of the mouth or lip.) In the past lung cancer has always been more common in men than women. Now, as more women smoke, it is almost as common in women.
SuggestionHowever long you have been smoking, it is always worth givingit up. Why not talk to your GP or practice nurse.They will be able to help and support you while you are giving up.There is information on organisations which can help you give up smoking elsewhere on CancerHelp UK.
Other risk factors for lung cancerThere are some other risk factors of lung cancer, but they are nowhere near as important a cause as smoking
Exposure to asbestos and certain chemicals
Exposure to radon gas
Air pollution
Scarring from previous lung disease for example tuberculosis (TB)
A family history of lung cancer
Past cancer treatment
Exposure to asbestos and certain chemicalsAsbestos has been known to increase the risk of getting lung cancer for some time. Uranium, chromium and nickel can all cause lung cancer, too. This is very rare because you would normally only come across these chemicals in large amounts if you worked with them. And not many people do.Exposure to radon gasRadon gas is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that can seep out of the soil into buildings. This is more likely in certain parts of the country where there is a lot of granite (for example, the West Country and the Peak District). It is thought that radon gas in high concentrations may cause lung cancer. If you are worried about this, the Health Protection Agency - Radiation Protection Division an check your house for you. They can recommend ways of reducing the risk. Air pollutionAir pollution may cause lung cancer. However, this has only been proved in people exposed to large amounts of diesel exhaust fumes for many years through their work. This type of long term occupational exposure may increase lung cancer risk by up to 47% (that is the average risk of lung cancer, plus half again). Air pollution is likely to be a smaller factor for most of us. Again, it is very difficult to be accurate about this. Some Swedish researchers estimated that as many as 1 in 10 lung cancers might be caused by air pollution in the Swedish capital, Stockholm. Another research paper put the figure at about 1 or 2 lung cancer cases in every 100 caused by outdoor air pollution.Scarring from previous lung diseasePast lung disease that caused scarring in the lungs may be a risk factor for a type of lung cancer called adenocarcinoma of the lung Tuberculosis (TB) can cause scar tissue to form in the lungs. But a direct link hasn't so far been proved. A family history of lung cancerResearchers are looking into the impact of family history on lung cancer. There is some evidence that there is at least one lung cancer gene because family history of lung cancer does have an impact on risk. It is very hard to sort out the facts here because of the major role of smoking. Families of smokers will all be exposed to cigarette smoke and so have an increased risk of lung cancer whether they carry a gene or not. A study called GELCAPS is investigating the possibility of a lung cancer gene. Researchers are taking a blood sample from diagnosed patients and one from their partner (as long as they haven't also been diagnosed with lung cancer). This trial has closed but there are no results as yet. Past cancer treatmentThere is some evidence that having had cancer treatment in the past might increase your risk of lung cancer. Researchers in Sweden looked at the medical records of 140,000 breast cancer patients. They found that there did seem to be an increased risk of lung cancer between 5 and 20 years after breast cancer treatment. They think this may be due to smoking after having had radiotherapy to the chest in the past. If you have had radiotherapy to your chest it is very important not to smoke because your lungs will be more sensitive. But we need more research to prove that there is a definite link between radiotherapy treatment to the chest and lung cancer, or that this is due to radiotherapy and smoking.Diet and lung cancer Doctors have recently been looking into vitamins and lung cancer. Fresh fruit and vegetables are thought to help prevent cancer because they contain chemicals that can prevent cell damage, such as the anti oxidant vitamins A, C and E, flavenoids and other chemicals. But if you smoke, it's no good carrying on and just eating a lot of fruit and veg as well. The most important thing by far is to stop smoking. For lung cancer, your diet is much less important if you smoke.Researchers have looked into whether taking extra vitamin E and beta carotene may help stop smokers getting lung cancer. Beta carotene is a substance that the body uses to make vitamin A. However, early results suggest that taking vitamin supplements does not help prevent lung cancer and may even have been harmful in smokers or those who have been exposed to asbestos in the past. So, for now the advice on diet is the same as for preventing cancer generally and other chronic diseases. We should all try to
Eat more fresh fruit and vegetables
Cut down on fat (particularly animal fats)
Eat less salt and sugar
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