Lung Cancer and Smoking

Lung cancer can be attributed to a variety of different causes, but smoking seems to be the most common and the most prevalent. Lung cancer is a common type of cancer that accounts for about 15% of cancer cases each year, but early diagnosis is not always easy. The symptoms of this type of cancer can go undetected or are often misdiagnosed.

This means that it is incredibly important to know about the risk factors that are associated with lung cancer. Smoking is the number one risk factor and can increase your chances of being diagnosed with this type of cancer substantially.

Smoking Risk Factor

The number one risk factor of lung cancer is smoking. It is a fact that more than 90% of lung cancers are caused by smoking. Other tobacco products including cigars and pipes also can be linked to the onset of lung cancer. Tobacco products are filled with carcinogens, which are cancer-causing agents. It is true that tobacco smoke contains more than 7,000 toxic chemicals, which are known to cause cancer.

How Much Do Your Chances Increase?

Individuals that smoke are between 16 and 31 times more likely to get lung cancer than those individuals that do not smoke. Simply smoking cigarettes a few times each week can increase your risk, but the more you smoke each day is linked to the likelihood that you will get lung cancer. How long you have smoked and the amount of cigarettes that you smoke daily are the factors that matter most.

What is You Quit?

Individuals the stop smoking lower the risk of lung cancer, but still have a higher chance of getting diagnosed than those people that never smoked before. No matter what age you are, lowering your chances of getting lung cancer by quitting smoking is possible.

Smoking and Cancer

Not only is smoking the number one cause of lung cancer, but it also can cause cancer in other areas of the body. Aside from the lungs, smoking can be attributed to cancer of the mouth, nose, throat, bladder, kidney, pancreas stomach, blood and much more.

Do You Have to Smoke to Get Lung Cancer?

Although smoking is the main cause of lung cancer, it is not the only cause. Smoking does not automatically mean you will get lung cancer. Many people that smoke never get lung cancer and many people that don’t smoke are diagnosed. Smoking is simply a risk factor and is known to be the number one culprit of this cancer type.