Preventing Lung Cancer
Avoiding risk factors associated with lung cancer may help reduce your chances of developing the disease. These risk factors include:
- Tobacco use is the most widely-known and documented cause of lung cancer. Smoking tobacco raises the risk of lung cancer, but smokers who quit lower their risk; in time, quitters will have their risk level return to that of non-smokers. While directly smoking is the main risk factor, second-hand tobacco smoke (smoke in the air from smokers) is also a risk. People who inhale second-hand smoke are exposed to the same chemicals in tobacco as smokers, although at lower levels.
- Environment also can increase the risk of lung cancer. A number of cancer-causing materials, such as asbestos, radon, and arsenic, can cause lung cancer in non-smokers and also increase the risk of cancer in smokers. Air pollution from industry and cars also may cause an increased risk.
- A diet that contains many fruits (and possibly vegetables) may help lower lung cancer risk. Heavy alcohol use may increase risk.
- Activity level in both smokers and non-smokers may be connected to reduced risk; physically active people have been found to have a lower risk than less active people.
