CANCER CARE

Lung Cancer Risk Factors

By Temma Ehrenfeld @temmaehrenfeld
 | 
February 20, 2023
Lung Cancer Risk Factors

Smoking increases your chance of getting and dying from lung cancer by 15 to 30 times. Other lung cancer risk factors include exposure to radon and certain chemicals.

There is no sure way to know if you’re going to get lung cancer. One way to decrease your risk: If you smoke, quit.

On average, smokers can expect to live at least 10 fewer years than non-smokers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Smoking cigarettes increases your chance of getting and dying from lung cancer by 15 to 30 times. It is the probable cause of up to 90 percent of all lung cancer deaths in the U.S. Cigarette smoking also increases your risk of deaths from other cancers and of death from heart disease, among other diseases.

Quitting smoking at any age lowers your risk of lung cancer, though you’ll still be more at risk than someone who never smoked.

 

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Some smokers never get lung cancer, and you can get lung cancer even if you never smoked, especially if you are exposed to secondhand smoke if you live with a smoker.  

Look at the statements below. If you say “yes” to any of them, you are at an increased risk for lung cancer. Each time you say yes, ask yourself if you’re doing all you can to control that particular risk factor. It may seem hard, but your efforts can keep you alive longer and in better health.  

Ask your doctors and loved ones to help you think of ways that will help you succeed at lowering your risk for lung cancer.

I smoke cigarettes 

Tobacco contains substances called carcinogens, which harm cells in your lungs. Over time, these damaged cells may become cancer. Higher lung cancer risk factors include:

  • The younger you were when you started smoking
  • The more years you continue to smoke
  • The more cigarettes you smoke a day

Some people believe that there is no reason to quit smoking because the damage has already been done. That’s not true. Ten years after you quit, your risk of lung cancer is about half of a smoker’s. Your risk of a heart attack drops dramatically within two years.

I smoke cigars or a pipe

Some people believe that smoking cigars or a pipe is not as bad as smoking cigarettes. The truth is that any kind of smoking increases your risk for lung cancer. If you smoke cigars or pipes, you have a higher risk of developing lung cancer than people who don’t smoke.

If you have smoked for a long time, you have an even higher chance of developing lung cancer. Your risk for lung cancer also depends on how much you smoke every day.

I am exposed to secondhand smoke

If you’re around smokers, you have a higher risk of getting lung cancer. Being around secondhand smoke is called involuntary, or passive, smoking.

Secondhand smoke has nearly all the carcinogens that smokers inhale. Your risk for lung cancer is higher if you have spent many years being exposed to smoke. 

I work in a mine or have high levels of radon in my home

Radon is a gas that is found in soil and rocks. You can’t see, smell, or taste radon. Still, it can harm your lungs. People who work in mines have a higher risk of developing lung cancer. So do those who live in houses with high levels of radon, which can seep into basements.

The amount of radon in your home depends upon ventilation and how far you are from the source. The only way to know how much radon is in your home is to have it tested and fix the problem if the level is high.

To find a professional near you to test the radon level in your home, check the U.S. Environmental Protect Agency’s website. You can also talk with a radon specialist at:

  • 800-55-RADON (800-557-2366)
  • 800-SOSRADON (800-767-7236)
  • 800-SALUD-12 (800-725-8312) in Spanish

If you are around radon and you smoke, your risk for lung cancer is even greater. Do all you can to stop smoking.

I have worked or work with asbestos or certain other chemicals

Asbestos is a group of minerals. They’re used in shipbuilding, insulation, and some kinds of car repairs. If you breathe in tiny pieces of asbestos, they can get stuck in your lungs and harm your lung cells. If you work near asbestos and you smoke, your risk for lung cancer is high. That gives you an even greater incentive to quit smoking.

Other workplace chemicals that have been linked to lung cancer include:

  • Arsenic
  • Beryllium
  • Cadmium
  • Silica
  • Vinyl chloride
  • Nickel compounds
  • Chromium compounds
  • Coal products
  • Mustard gas
  • Diesel exhaust
  • Chloromethyl ethers

If your job puts you in contact with any of these chemicals, follow the guidelines for working with them safely. If you have questions, call:

  • Your local union
  • National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health at 800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636), or visit https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/
  • Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) at 800-321-OSHA (800-321-6742), or visit https://www.osha.gov/

I have received radiation therapy to my chest or breast

People who receive radiation therapy to those areas may be at higher risk for lung cancer, especially if they smoke.

I live in a city with a high level of air pollution

If you breathe a lot of air pollution over a long period of time, you may have a higher risk of developing lung cancer. This risk is relatively small compared with the risk of smoking.

I have had lung cancer before

If you’ve previously had lung cancer, you have a higher chance of getting lung cancer again. If you quit smoking after having lung cancer, your chance of getting it again is reduced.

I have a parent or a sibling who has had lung cancer

The risk of lung cancer is slightly higher in brothers, sisters, and children of people who have had lung cancer. It's not clear if this is because of genetics, shared environmental factors (such as tobacco smoke or radon in the home), or some combination of these.

 

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Updated:  

February 20, 2023

Reviewed By:  

Janet O'Dell, RN