TOP RISK FACTORS FOR LUNG CANCER AND HOW TO REDUCE YOUR RISK

Top Risk Factors for Lung Cancer and How to Reduce Your Risk

Top Risk Factors for Lung Cancer and How to Reduce Your Risk

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Do you know that according to the American Cancer Society, lung cancer is the second most common type of cancer in both men and women? Prostate cancer and breast cancer are also common in men and women, respectively, but lung cancer is the leading cause of death after cardiovascular diseases. This cancer mostly occurs in older people, usually at the age of 65. But do you know the risk of cancer develops once you hit 40? So, it is important to be cautious. Therefore, in this post, we will explain some of the risk factors that you must know to be on the safe side. 

Risk Factors of Lung Cancer 


Sometimes, cancer develops out of nowhere as it is an abnormal growth of cells called mutation in some part of the body. But sometimes, there are particular reasons and risk factors that show the symptoms in our body, like the notifications on our mobile phones. We often come across the statement, “5 signs that I ignored that led me toward cancer.” It sounds dramatic, but it is true. But what are those factors? Let us dive into that. 

 


  • Lifestyle Factors




 

Smoking is one of the most common risk factors for this cancer. The more the number of cigarettes and years of smoking, the more high the risk of cancer. Even if you smoke occasionally, once or twice a day or a week, this will increase the likelihood of cancer by 70% to 80%. 

  • If a person smokes 12 to 15 cigarettes per day, he is at risk of cancer by 26% than a non-smoker. 

  • The duration of smoking is directly related to cancer. 

  • It does not matter if you smoke some other type of tobacco, such as pipes or menthol; the risk factor is still there. 

  • We often assume that the risk will be reduced if we switch to low-tar cigarettes. However, we all are wrong here. According to the National Institute of Health, the likelihood of cancer is the same with low-tar and high-tar cigarette smoking. 


Based on smoking risk factors, one of the most significant things that you must do is quit smoking before. Apart from smoking, excessive alcohol drinking and consumption of other drugs are some other risk factors. 

 


  • Environmental Risk Factors 




 

According to the World Health Organization, air pollution caused 108,000 deaths in the last year. Some environmental factors include the following:

  • World Health Organization stated that the use of solid fuels in developing countries for different purposes, such as cooking, caused about 36,000 deaths. The significant huge number highlights the risk factor for lung cancer. 

  • Secondhand smoking, which is another environmental factor, caused 21,000 lung cancer deaths. 

  • Exposure to radon is another significant factor. 

  • Another shocking risk factor is polluted water. The high level of arsenic in the water doubles the risk of lung cancer. 


According to research, the chances of getting lung cancer increase in case of exposure to household air pollution. 

 


  • Health and Genetic Risk Factors 




 

It does not come as a shock that one health condition often leads to another health condition in case of no proper treatment. In addition to this, 

  • If you have a family history of lung cancer or any other respiratory disorder, then you are at high risk of it. 

  • In the case of other medical conditions, including pulmonary disease or spinal tumors, then these conditions indicate a high risk of cancer. 

  • The gene mutation is responsible for about 32% of non-small cell lung cancer among both men and women. EFGR is a gene that is responsible for the growth of cells in the body. However, any complication within EFGR leads to mutation and, thus, the development of cancer. 


Now, the question comes to mind: how to avoid the risk of lung cancer. First of all, you must adopt a healthy lifestyle and diet. It is important to prioritize your health over everything else by including exercise and meditation. Another important thing is you must go for cancer screening if you are at risk of it. MRI scans or CT scans are important scans for the diagnosis of cancer. 

Prevent the Risk of Cancer through Scans 


If you want to be on the safe side, then this is your sign to go for a lung scan or MRI scan on your health consultant’s advice. These scans allow to identify any abnormality within the lungs by taking detailed pictures of it. ViaScan of Las Colinas offers high-quality and advanced MRI scans and all other types of scans to serve you the best. At ViaScan of Las Colinas, you get the chance to consult with experts about your lung health and how to take better care of it. They have state-of-the-art technology to ensure accurate and reliable scans. So, take a step towards the betterment of health.

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