Smoking is a known factor in causing lung cancer. However, lung cancer in non-smokers is also going up. What causes that?

A different lung cancer

Scientific studies found that up to 20% of people who die from lung cancer are non-smokers. Researchers also found that lung cancer in non-smokers is an uncommon disease altogether. There are some other environmental factors that can be the causes of lung cancer in people.

What causes cancer in non-smokers?

There are some risk factors that can lead to lung cancer in people who do not smoke. These factors may include

• family history
• secondhand Smoke
• previous cancer diagnoses
• air pollution or other environmental dangers

Lower the risk of lung cancer

How can you lower the risk of lung cancer? Lung cancer is unexpected in non-smokers and that is why it is usually found in later stages. That makes it harder to treat. Prevention is always better in this case. If you do a few things, they can lower the risk of getting lung cancer.

Radon test your home

Radon is a naturally occurring carcinogen and it can be present in home basements or even in crawl spaces. You can easily buy a radon test kit at your local hardware store and use it to confirm your home is safe. However, do not stress about radon testing as it may not be so dreaded. You will need to spend a pretty high proportion of hours in the day in an enclosed environment to get exposure levels that can cause lung cancer.

Avoid secondhand smoke

Do not become a secondhand smoke out. If a loved one is a smoker, you can always encourage them to quit. Or you can at least stay away from them while they smoke. You can avoid colleagues and unknown people who smoke so that you can avoid secondhand smoke going into your body.

Avoid carcinogens

Sometimes some people are exposed to asbestos, and other harsh pollutants while performing their jobs. If your job needs you to work in such an environment, you can make sure that your employer is following OSHA and other guidelines. You also need to wear gear like face masks and suits to limit inhalation.

Get screened for lung cancer

If you're really worried about your lungs, you can get screened for lung cancer. Most insurance companies cover these tests only for people with a history of smoking. However, your doctor may help you get screened for lung cancer to ensure that you do not have it.

Talk to your doctor

If anyone in your family has had lung cancer, you should regularly visit your doctor. The doctor can help you become extra vigilant in spotting early signs of lung cancer.

If you find any odd and not so odd symptoms, talk to your doctor about it. A persistent cough that doesn't go away should not be ignored. Many symptoms of lung cancer may be very common symptoms that people get in their lifetimes. A cough, little pain in the chest, and feeling a little bit short of breath maybe some of the common symptoms of this problem. In that case, talking to your doctor will definitely help.