Never smoked but still got lung cancer, doctor: The cause comes from something that everyone is often exposed to
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) of the World Health Organization (WHO) emphasized that the rate of lung cancer in people who have never smoked is increasing rapidly, in which air pollution is an important factor.
This form of lung cancer, especially adenocarcinoma, is now the most common type in women in more than 185 countries. In 2022, the number of lung cancer cases worldwide will reach 2.5 million, of which women account for nearly 1 million cases.
According to research published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, air pollution has been identified as one of the main contributors to the increase in disease rates, especially in Southeast Asia and China.
The study found that between 53% and 70% of lung cancer cases in non-smokers were linked to air pollution. This trend is increasing in both men and women between 2020 and 2022, with women accounting for about 60% of all cases.
According to a study by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, there will be about 200,000 cases of adenocarcinoma linked to air pollution by 2022. The disease burden caused by air pollution is highest in East Asia, especially China.
As smoking rates decline globally, lung cancer cases in non-smokers have increased, making it the fifth leading cause of cancer death worldwide.
This trend is most notable in women and Asian populations, with a strong link between air pollution and adenocarcinoma in regions such as East Asia.
In addition, the study also showed that the use of solid fuels for heating and cooking in the home is the main cause of lung cancer in non-smoking Chinese women.
In an interview with The Guardian, Dr Freddie Bray – lead author of the study and head of IARC's Cancer Surveillance Unit – stressed that the findings highlight the need for close monitoring of lung cancer risk in a changing landscape.