Knowing the cause of lung cancer

Do you know each year the USA is losing 170,000 citizens mainly due to lung cancer? World census figures confirm that 3.5 million people per year have been the victims of lung cancer. In most cases, lung cancer can be prevented easily. Even if lung changes start immediately upon exposure to carcinogens, lung cancer may consume years together to develop. The causes of lung cancer depend upon various factors such as smoking, radon exposure, occupational hazard such as exposure to carcinogens, e.g., asbestos particles (mesothelioma). Out of all these reasons, cigarette smoke, with carcinogens at a high concentration, inhaled by both smokers and nonsmokers is the leading cause of lung cancer.

More than 87% of lung cancer result from tobacco smoking and for most of the rest, the cause of the lung cancer is environmental exposure to tobacco smoke. The other causes of lung cancer include exposure to cancer causing agents in the work place and a family or personal history of lung cancer.

Of late, scientists have found how these causes of lung cancer modify the DNA of cells in the lungs. The DNA (genetic material) contains the instructions to the cells as to what they should do. The main genetic cause of lung cancer is that due to DNA mutations that either activate oncogenes (genes that promote cell division) or inactivates tumor suppressor genes (genes that slow down cell division or cause cells to die at the appropriate time). Due to the DNA mutation, there may be proliferation of cells, which is uncontrollable and finally lead to lung cancer.

Sometimes this mutation of DNA may be inherited and may act as a cause of lung cancer, but this is very rare. Some individuals have a low capability to nullify the effect of certain types of cancer-causing chemicals and this may perform as a cause of lung cancer.

Do you know asbestos workers are 7 times more likely to be a victim of lung cancer? An important cause of lung cancer apart from tobacco smoking is exposure to asbestos fiber. Asbestos workers are at lung cancer risk of 50 to 90 times greater than that of the average person. Nowadays governments have totally stopped the usage of asbestos in industrial and commercial products.

Radon, a radioactive gas, is produced in the natural process of uranium breakdown. The indoor radon is more risky than outdoor radon. Hence houses built on uranium rich soil develop a high rate of indoor radon, which can be a main cause of lung cancer in that area.

There are other carcinogens present in the workplace that act as a cause of lung cancer. The causes of lung cancer include fuels such as gasoline, diesel exhaust, mustard gas, inhaled minerals or chemicals such as arsenic, vinyl chloride, coal products, beryllium, nickel chromates, etc.

Marijuana is considered to be one of the causes of lung cancer. The percentage of tar in marijuana is more than cigarettes. Marijuana is inhaled deeply and kept in the lungs for a long time and contains tumor-causing substances similar to those of tobacco. Marijuana is not only causing lung cancer but also throat and mouth cancer.

Although there are numerous reasons for lung cancer, tobacco smoking is considered to be the primary cause of lung cancer. Hence quitting smoking is considered to be the best way to prevent lung cancer.