Conditions

Lung Cancer Causes & Risk Factors

While tobacco smoke is the number one cause of lung cancer, this disease is also linked to several other risk factors. Risk factors increase your chances of getting a disease, but many people with one or more risk factors may never develop lung cancer. Others with this disease have no known risk factors at all.

Tobacco smoke: Smoking cigarettes, pipes, or cigars, and being exposed to secondhand smoke increases your risk for this disease; the greater the exposure, the greater your risk.

Radon: Radon is a radioactive gas that you cannot see, smell, or taste. It forms in soil and rocks. People who work in mines may be exposed to radon. In some parts of the world, radon is found in houses. Radon damages lung cells, and people exposed to radon are at increased risk of lung cancer.

Asbestos and other substances: People who work in the construction and chemical industries may have an increased risk of lung cancer through exposure to asbestos, arsenic, chromium, nickel, soot, tar, and other substances that can increase risk for lung cancer. The risk increases with the length of exposure.

Air pollution: Air pollution may slightly increase the risk of lung cancer.

Family history of lung cancer: People with a father, mother, brother, or sister who had lung cancer may be at slightly increased risk of the disease, even if they don't smoke.

Personal history of lung cancer: People who have had lung cancer are at increased risk of developing a second lung tumor.

Age over 65: Most people are older than 65 years when diagnosed with lung cancer.

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¹“What You Need to Know about Lung Cancer: Risk Factors”, National Cancer Institute. Available from: http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/wyntk/lung/page4.

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