Prevention of Lung Cancer | Risk Factors | Causes of Lung Cancer

Prevention of Lung Cancer

Chiefly lung cancer occurs mostly at the age, between 40 to 55 years. It is four times more common in males than in females.
These are certain predisposing factors which causes lung cancer. One should try to avoid it to prevent from lung cancer risk.
1. Cigarette smoking

• Risk of bronchogenic carcinoma varies directly with the number of cigarettes smoked.
• After stopping to smoke the risk declines rapidly and after 10yrs approaches to that of a non-smokers.
• Passive smokers (e.g. non-smokers those who are living with the smoker) appear to have double the risk of developing cancer and hence one should try to completely prevent from such smoke inhalation.

2. Occupational exposure - this is also one of the major cause of bronchogenic carcinoma which can be classified into

a. Organic and
b. Inorganic dust.

a. Organic dust which can be prevented from inhalations are

• From fungi- farmers lung, mushroom workers lung and bagassosis.
• From birds like bird fancier’s lung.
• From mammals- pituitary snuff takers lung and rat handler’s lung.

b. Inorganic dust can be prevented from inhalation which in long term can cause lung carcinoma.

• Silica- it causes silicosis.
• Coal workers pneumoconiosis (anthracosis).
• Asbestos related asbestosis.
• Pneumoconiosis due to metal inhalation of iron (siderosis), beryllium (berylliosis), aluminum (aluminosis) and tin (stannosis).

By controlling the dust at source on can prevent the risk factor of bronchogenic carcinoma.

Symptomatic treatment should be taken for exudative disease following exposure to gases and fumes.

3. Atmospheric pollution – This is a major cause of concern for those residing in cities which are densely populated. Urban malignancy are twice more common than rural areas.

4. Pulmonary fibrosis – Carcinoma may arise in old scar tissue such as those caused due to tuberculosis or pneumonia. This is the case in elderly individuals.

5. Chronic childhood respiratory illness should be avoided by timely intervention as it may leave a scar which in old age can lead to cancer.

6. Recurrent broncho-pulmonary infections should be prevented.

7. Allergy and airways hyper-responsiveness which is normally found in smokers causing increased blood levels of IgE and eosinophils should be taken care of.

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