Lung cancer is affecting a growing number of people who have never smoked, according to a Mar. 17 report from OSF HealthCare Cancer Institute. Jun Zhang, MD, PhD, vice president of oncology research at the institute, said that “anyone that has lungs has a chance of lung cancer.”
This issue is significant because about 10-20% of lung cancer patients have no history of smoking. Zhang said that if cases among non-smokers were counted separately, they would rank as the fifth leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. He noted that “lung cancer is generally referred to as a ‘smoker’s disease.’ But it turns out now that we’re seeing more lung cancer patients without a history of smoking.” Each year, roughly 40,000 Americans who have never smoked are diagnosed with lung cancer.
Women of Asian descent who do not smoke are particularly affected. Research shows that 57% of Asian American women diagnosed with lung cancer have never smoked. A recent study called FANS (Female Asian Never Smoker), conducted by researchers at the University of California San Francisco, UC Davis and Stanford University, is investigating why this group develops lung cancer at higher rates than others.
Zhang explained that many non-smokers present with late-stage disease because early symptoms like cough or shortness of breath often go unnoticed and these individuals typically do not get screened for lung cancer. “That’s the sad story, that even though they’ve never smoked, at the time when they’re diagnosed with lung cancer, it’s almost always at late stage,” he said.
The article outlines two main causes for late-stage diagnosis in non-smokers: exposure to PM2.5 (fine particulate matter) and high radon levels in homes. PM2.5 particles can become trapped in the lungs and enter circulation; globally it is considered the second most common cause of lung cancer after smoking. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency sets national air quality standards for PM2.5 and reports improvements in regions such as the Upper Midwest since 2000.
Radon gas is another risk factor in the United States and is described as colorless and odorless; it can accumulate indoors due to poor ventilation and damage DNA cells when inhaled over time.
Zhang recommends expanding screening criteria for lung cancer and encourages anyone experiencing persistent cough or shortness of breath to consult their primary care provider for further evaluation.
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