What are the reasons for lung cancer?
Anyone can develop lung cancer, but people who smoke (or used to smoke) are most at risk. The risk increases with the total number of cigarettes you smoke. If you stop smoking, the risk gets less over time. Passive smoking over a long period of time may occasionally cause lung cancer. Non smokers (around 10%) may also develop one particular type of lung cancer (“adeno”). This can happen in a part of the lung where there is scarring because of something else. Researchers are trying to find out if there is a genetic reason why only some smokers get lung cancer. There is no clear answer yet. Other known risk factors include the effects of past cancer treatment and exposure to asbestos, radon gas and, in very rare cases, substances such as uranium, chromium and nickel.
