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Lung Cancer Causes

The number one cause for lung cancer in the United States is smoking tobacco, typically in the form of cigarettes. The majority of those with this cancer are older with the average age at diagnosis being about 71-years-old. According to the National Cancer Institute, approximately 219,440 new cases of lung cancer were reported in 2009. An estimated 159,390 people died from lung cancer during the same year. While smoking tobacco is the leading cause of lung cancer, exposure to the environmental toxin asbestos is also known to cause the cancer.

Asbestos Exposure and Lung Cancer

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that has been linked to a number of illnesses, including lung cancer. Exposure to this toxic mineral has been noted to significantly increase the risk of developing lung cancer in those who smoke tobacco. People who have experienced a great deal of secondhand smoke and asbestos exposure are at an increased risk as well. Research shows smokers who have been exposed to asbestos have a higher chance of contracting lung cancer by 50 to 84 times in comparison to those who have not been exposed to asbestos.

In a 2001 study, researchers found that as much as four percent of lung cancers in the United States were caused by occupational and environmental exposures. Another study from 1996, conducted by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, found those who are exposed to asbestos are twice as likely to develop lung cancer as those who have never been exposed.

Associated Lung Cancers

In addition, exposure to asbestos in known to cause other lung conditions, including pleural mesothelioma and asbestosis. The development of these illnesses can take as much time as lung cancer to develop due to the effects of asbestos fibers on the lungs. The latency period of symptoms for pleural mesothelioma typically range between 20 and 50 years after exposure to asbestos. People who have worked in an environment where asbestos exposure may have occurred may be at risk of developing lung cancer or any other asbestos-related disease.

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