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It is the second most common lung cancer in the United States among men (behind prostate cancer) and women (behind breast cancer). American Cancer Society.
The organization estimates that nearly a quarter of a million people will be diagnosed with lung cancer and 125,000 will die from lung cancer by 2024. Most people diagnosed are over 65 – very few are under 45 according to ACS.
Health experts are encouraged that the statistics are declining – perhaps due to a reduction in smoking and advances in medical technology that allow for earlier detection and treatment. But these numbers are still high, and they say that more work can be done to reduce the risks.
“The health benefits of quitting smoking start within minutes, so it’s too late to quit,” Alejandra Ellison-Barnes, assistant professor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins Medicine and Cancer Clinic, told USA TODAY.
Here’s what medical professionals need to know about the causes and symptoms of lung cancer.
What causes lung cancer?
80% of lung cancer deaths are due to smoking ACS.
Although most lung cancer deaths are caused by smoking, not all smokers develop lung cancer, which means genetics and exposure to other risk factors also play a role.
“About 10 to 20 percent of people who smoke will develop lung cancer in their lifetime, and smokers are at higher risk than those who smoke less,” says Dr. Ellison-Barnes.
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What causes lung cancer in non-smokers?
Experts note that you don’t need to smoke tobacco to be at risk of lung cancer.
Exposure to cigarette smoke, air pollution, asbestos, diesel fumes and radon, an odorless or colorless radioactive gas commonly found in rocks, soil and burning coal and other fossil fuels, can cause lung cancer, according to the ACS.
Medical professionals do not know every risk factor that causes lung cancer. The ACS notes that other people may develop lung cancer through “random events with no external cause” and “causes we do not yet know.”
What are the first symptoms of lung cancer?
First signs, by ACSmay include the following
- Persistent or worsening cough
- Coughing up blood or rust-colored sputum
- Persistent or recurrent infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia
- Chest pain that worsens with deep breathing, laughing or coughing
- Unexplained weight loss and/or loss of appetite
- Feeling tired, weak or short of breath
- to make a noise or noise.
Medical experts urge people who experience the above-mentioned symptoms to go to the doctor immediately. There’s a chance they’re caused by something else, but if it turns out to be lung cancer, it’s best to start treatment as soon as possible. And, Dr. Ellison-Barnes added, people who smoke should make sure they’re eligible for lung cancer screening, even if they have no symptoms.
Oh, smoking is cool again. Shouldn’t people know better by now?
“If you quit smoking, your risk of lung cancer is greatly reduced,” said Benjamin Toll, PhD, associate director of the South Carolina Lung Cancer Screening Program and director of the MUSC Health Tobacco Treatment Program.
Toll adds: “If you’ve been a long-term smoker, or if you’ve smoked for a long time but haven’t smoked, ask your doctor about lung cancer screening. If you’re diagnosed with lung cancer early, you have a much better chance of successful treatment.”