| There are a various risk factors that are | | | | |
| linked to lung cancer. The most common known | | | | Asbestos Exposure |
| causes are as follows: | | | | |
| | | | Exposure to asbestos is another well-known |
| Cigarette Smoking | | | | cause of lung cancer and mesothelioma - |
| | | | cancer of the pleural lining of the lungs. |
| Cigarette smoking is probably the most | | | | Asbestos was widely used in construction and |
| closely related link to developing lung | | | | everyday products in the late 1800s through |
| cancer. A person who smokes two packs or | | | | the 1960s. Asbestos separates into fine |
| more of cigarettes per day has a one in seven | | | | silica fibers that become trapped in the |
| chance of developing lung cancer. Those that | | | | tissues of the lungs. Mesothelioma is |
| smoke one pack of cigarettes per day have a | | | | inextricably linked to asbestos exposure. |
| twenty-five times greater chance of | | | | There are no reported cases of mesothelioma |
| developing lung cancer than a non-smoker. In | | | | in people who were not exposed to asbestos |
| addition, those people that smoke a pipe or | | | | either in the workplace or through their |
| cigar have a five times greater chance of | | | | environment. A non-smoker who was exposed to |
| developing lung cancer than a non-smoker. | | | | asbestos has a five times greater risk of |
| | | | developing lung cancer than a non-smoker who |
| The risk of developing lung cancer increases | | | | was not exposed. Smoking increases the risk |
| with the number of cigarettes smoked over | | | | dramatically - a smoker who was exposed to |
| your lifetime. Cigarette smoking damages the | | | | asbestos has a risk of developing lung cancer |
| cells in your lungs. The moment you stop | | | | that is 50 to 90 times greater than that of a |
| smoking, your lungs begin healing themselves, | | | | non-smoker. |
| replacing damaged cells with healthy, normal | | | | |
| cells. Your risk of developing lung cancer | | | | Radon Gas |
| begins decreasing almost immediately when you | | | | |
| quit smoking. Every year that you do not | | | | It is estimated that about 12% of lung cancer |
| smoke, your chances of developing lung cancer | | | | deaths can be attributed to radon gas, a |
| drop further. By the fifteenth year, your | | | | colorless, odorless gas that is a natural |
| chances of developing lung cancer are about | | | | byproduct of the decay of uranium. The U.S. |
| the same as those of a person who has never | | | | Environmental Protection Agency estimates |
| smoked. | | | | that as many as 15% of homes in the United |
| | | | States have unsafe levels of radon gas, which |
| Secondhand Smoke | | | | will account for 15,000 to 22,000 deaths from |
| | | | lung cancer annually. |
| Also known as passive smoking, people exposed | | | | |
| to secondhand smoke on a regular basis will | | | | Air Pollution |
| have a higher risk of developing lung cancer, | | | | |
| even if they do not smoke themselves. | | | | Scientists estimate that as many as 1% of all |
| Studies have shown that those who live with a | | | | lung cancer deaths are attributable to air |
| smoker have a 24% greater risk of developing | | | | pollution. They believe that prolonged |
| lung cancer than most non-smokers. Doctors | | | | exposure to very polluted air can raise the |
| estimate that about 3000 lung cancer deaths a | | | | risks of developing lung cancer to about the |
| year are related to secondhand smoke. | | | | levels of a passive smoker. |