Are Non-Smokers Vulnerable to Lung Cancer?
Lung cancer (LC) has traditionally been considered a smoker’s disease. That is, the illness’s impact is thought to be reserved to those who habitually smoke. To be sure, of the nearly 180,000 cases that are diagnosed each year, most are attributed to the use of cigarettes. Having said that, it is estimated that up to 15% of diagnosed cases occur in those who do not smoke. In this article, we’ll explore the issue of non-smokers suffering from lung cancer. We’ll explain the reasons it can happen and potential risk factors that make some people more susceptible than others. Reasons The Disease Impacts Non-Smokers Among all of the factors that contribute to non-smokers developing the disease, secondhand smoke is the most common. According to Cancer.gov, nearly 38,000 people die each year from secondhand smoke. Cigarette smoke contains over 4,000 chemicals. Being exposed to these chemicals over an extended period of time can lead to the development of tumors. Another potential cause of LC i
