Lung cancer, the second most common cancer in the United States, is often associated with smoking, but even people who have never had to smoke can be at risk of a fatal illness.
It is true that smokers face far higher risks, but up to 20% lung cancer It affects people who have never smoked for their lifetimes or have smoked fewer than 100 cigarettes in their lifetime, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Nevertheless, the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) does not recommend screening for lung cancer to those with it I’ve never smokedAs the agency states, risk can outweigh the potential benefits.
More toxic and carcinogenic than tobacco
According to the American Cancer Society, most lung cancers fall into two groups: non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and small cell lung cancer (SCLC).
NSCLC includes approximately 80% to 85% of all lung cancers, including adenocarcinomas (common among non-smokers), squamous cell carcinomas, and large cell carcinomas.
The remaining lung cancer is classified as SCLC. SCLC is the more aggressive type that tends to spread faster and has a lower prognosis.
Mohamed Abazeed, MD, Ph.D., Chairman of Radiation Oncology and Professor William N. Brando, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, agrees on shares of lung cancer Diagnosis among nonsmokers is on the rise, particularly among women and patients from Asian ancestors.
While cancer mortality rates drop, new diagnoses in some groups are surged, the report says
“While the overall incidence is declining due to lower smoking rates, the relative share of non-smokers is growing, reflected in clinical practice, increasingly diagnosing patients without a traditional smoking history,” he told Fox News Digital.
Dr. Lauren Nicola, a practical radiologist and chief medical officer at Leave DX in North Carolina, said he also saw an increase in the rate of newly diagnosed lung cancer, particularly among non-smokers. Between women Young adults.
According to Abazeed, a major driver of nonsmoker share among lung cancer patients is a successful willingness to reduce cigarette consumption in the US
“Other factors include improved imaging and wider use of early-stage enhanced CT scans. Tumor detection” he pointed out.
“Evolving environmental factors may also contribute to this change, with contaminants potentially promoting lung inflammation, which is responsible for the development of cancer.”
Some of the biggest risk factors for smoking cessation for lung cancer include surroundings Air Pollution Second hand smoke, according to Abazeed.
Exposure to chest radiation (high-energy radiation in the chest) can also increase risk, along with occupational hazards such as radon, asbestos, and diesel exhaust.
Lifestyle-related inflammation that is often linked Poor diet And sedentary behavior can also play a role, Nicola noted.
“Some of these can be addressed at a household or policy level, such as radon and air quality,” Abazide said.
Lung cancer risk, symptoms, treatment, the world’s most fatal cancer
“Lifestyle interventions such as exercise, diet and avoidance of indoor pollutants can play a modest protective role.”
Both doctors noted that former smokers, especially those who smoked more frequently and longer periods, remained at an increased risk decades after they quit.
“The more years of the pack, the higher the risk,” Nicola said. “After quitting, the risk decreases over time, but you never return to the smoker’s baseline.”
Some people have inherited the increased risk of developing lung cancer due to DNA.
“It is estimated that about 8% of lung cancer have been inherited or occurs. Genetic predisposition“Abazeed told Fox News Digital.
“Successive predispositions are areas of active research, especially in younger or with strong family history.”
Nicola said having a first-class relative with lung cancer almost doubles the risk of developing the disease even after controlling smoking exposure.
“Non-smoker cancer is often associated with certain genetic mutations and genomic profiles,” she said. “This suggests that these malignant tumors are different. Basic Biology Compared to smoker tumors. ”
Current US screening guidelines require annual low-dose CT scans for high-risk individuals based on age and smoking history.
The USPSTF recommends screening for adults aged 50-80 who have had a history of smoking 20 packs and are currently smoking or have stopped within the last 15 years.
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“There is growing interest in expanding eligibility to include risk factors for smoking cessation,” Avageed noted. “Evidence is accumulating that could change guidelines for the current population as a whole.”
There are potential risks associated with widening screening, according to experts, including overdiagnosis and possible false positives.
“The problem with screening for everyone for lung cancer is that up to 50% of all cases is Chest CT Nicola detects at least one pulmonary nodule. “The majority of these nodules are benign, but a small percentage turns out to be cancerous.”
Clinicians may recommend follow-up imaging or biopsy, primarily based on nodule size.
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“New tools are being developed to help better characterize the malignant risk of nodules, which will reduce the likelihood of harm associated with overdiagnosis during screening,” Nicola said.
