What Increases Your Risk
Risk factors for
lung cancer
include:
- Tobacco use. Smoking and chewing tobacco are related to
developing lung cancer, as well as to cancer of the mouth and throat. Over 85%
of lung cancers are related to smoking.
2
More than
half of the people who are newly diagnosed with lung cancer are former smokers.
Smoking unfiltered, high-tar cigarettes may put you at a higher risk than
smoking filtered or low-tar cigarettes, although this has not been proved. The
risk of developing lung cancer increases:
- The longer you smoke.
- The more cigarettes you smoke each day.
- Exposure to tobacco smoke, such as living with a smoker. If you
live with a smoker, you have 2 to 3 times the risk for lung cancer compared
with a person who lives in a nonsmoking environment.
5
About 25% of nonsmokers who develop lung cancer probably get it from being
exposed to secondhand smoke.
3
- Marijuana use. Smoking one marijuana cigarette, or a joint, may
affect the lungs as much as smoking a pack of cigarettes.
8
- Exposure to certain chemicals, such as arsenic,
asbestos, radioactive dust, or
radon.
- Radiation exposure from occupational, medical, or environmental
sources.
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