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Risk Factors for Men to Develop Lung Cancer

 


Lung cancer is common cancer in men of India, along with prostate and oral cancer. As per the National Library of Medicine, lung cancer constitutes around 6.9% of all new cancer diagnoses and 9.3% of cancer-related deaths in India. It is the most typical cancer and the reason for cancer-related deaths in men. Lung cancer can spread to other body organs like the brain or lymph nodes. In contrast, cancer from other organs can also spread to the lungs. The process of cancer spreading to other organs is metastases. There are two standard types of lung cancer—non-small cell and small cell. Both cancers' growing and treatment processes are entirely different, whereas non-small cell cancer is typical compared to small cell lung cancer. Multiple risk factors increase the chances of developing lung cancer, but having several or even one risk factor doesn't mean that one will indeed develop the disease. Some who develop lung cancer may also not have had any risk factors. Still, understanding the risk factors for lung cancer can help spread awareness about the preventative measures to decrease the likelihood of developing the disease. Following are some risk factors for lung cancer. 

Smoking

Smoking or tobacco smoke is by far the leading cause of lung cancer. Nearly 80% of lung cancer results from smoking, and the number might even increase for small cell lung cancer. Non-smokers rarely develop small cell lung cancer. The risk of developing cancer is higher for those who smoke than for those who don't. Health professionals believe that smoking directly damages the cells that line the lungs while inhaling the smoking, which is full of carcinogens (cancer-causing substances.) It will make changes in lung tissues almost immediately. In the beginning, the body helps repair the damage caused to the lungs. But the longer one smokes, the greater the risk of developing lung cancer. 

Secondhand smoke

Secondhand smoke is inhaling the smoke of smokers and smoke from the burning end of cigarettes. Centers for Disease and Control Prevention (CSCP) states that since 1964, over 2.5 million have died due to secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke can cause numerous health problems for adults and children, including asthma attacks, respiratory infections, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Secondhand smoking contains hundreds of toxic chemicals, and over 70 of those chemicals can increase the risk of lung cancer.


Radon

Radon is a radioactive natural gas from the decay of the elements thorium, radium, and uranium in soil or rock. It is an odorless, tasteless, invisible gas that diffuses into the air. Radon can decay instantly, producing little radioactive particles. When inhaled, those particles can damage the cell in the lung and increase the chances of developing lung cancer. Long-term radon exposure might lead to lung cancer, and there are chances of increasing the risk of leukemia with radon exposure. 

Asbestos

Asbestos is the combination of six minerals that occur in the environment naturally as bundles of fibers into thin, durable threads in commercial and industrial applications. These bundles of fibers are heat, fire, and chemical resistant and do not conduct electricity. People who work in mills, textile plants, mines, and shipyards, directly work with asbestos, and they are more likely to increase the chances of developing lung cancer. People who work with asbestos and smoke cigarettes have a higher risk of lung cancer. 

Radiation therapy

Radiation therapy damages healthy cells similar to cancerous cells. People undergo radiation therapy to the chest for multiple other cancers. Due to adverse exposure to radiation, the side effect that develops in the treatment area is lung cancer. Chemotherapy has a similar amount of side effects as radiation therapy. The risk of developing lung cancer is even high if radiation and chemotherapy are used to treat cancer since lung damage is often due to drug doses or radiation. 

Start your healthy journey


Yearly full-body check-ups are necessary for everyone. Almost all cancers are treatable by being identified at an early stage. Consult a free doctor online with Optimists healthcare from the comfort of your home. We provide multiple self-blood tests that help you identify and track your comfort zone. Our finger-prick method collects 20 times lesser blood than the standard blood testing method for better privacy.

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