Non-small-cell lung cancer
What causes NSCLC? Smoking is the biggest risk factor for developing lung cancer. However, there are other risk factors that can also increase the chances of developing lung cancer. It is important to remember that having a risk factor increases the risk of cancer developing but it does not mean that you will definitely get cancer. Likewise, not having a risk factor does not mean that you definitely won’t get cancer.
Smoking Tobacco smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer. In Europe, it is responsible for 90% of cases in men and 80% of cases in women (Novello et al., 2016). The number of years that a person has been a smoker is more important than the number of cigarettes smoked per day; therefore, giving up smoking at any age can reduce the risk of developing lung cancer more than cutting down on the number of cigarettes smoked per day.
Passive smoking Passive smoking, also referred to as ‘second-hand smoke’ or ‘environmental tobacco smoke’, increases the risk of developing NSCLC, but to a lesser extent than if you are a smoker.
Radon Radon is a radioactive gas that is produced during the breakdown of naturally-occurring uranium in soil and rocks, particularly granite. It can pass through from the ground into homes and buildings. Exposure to excessive levels of radon is thought to be a significant causative factor in patients with lung cancer who have never smoked. This may be particularly relevant for underground miners who may be exposed to high levels of radon if the mines in which they work are in a particular geographical region.
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Smoking is the biggest risk factor for lung cancer
