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The exact cause of lung cancer is still being investigated. Certain risk factors have been shown to play a part in causing cells to become cancerous. Risk factors for lung cancer include smoking, exposure to air pollution, and genetics.
The major cause of lung cancer in men and women is mainly due to cigarette smoking. In 1876, a machine was invented to make rolled-up cigarettes and thus provided cheap tobacco products to almost everyone. At that time, lung cancer was relatively rare. Smoking dramatically increased and so did lung cancers following this innovation. Currently about 90% of all lung cancers are related to smoking. Radon gas, pollution, toxins, and other factors contribute to the remaining 10%.
Cigarettes and cigarette smoke contains over 70 cancer-causing chemicals (carcinogens). Some of the carcinogens found in cigarette smoke include:
Cigar smoke is particularly heavy on tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs), which are considered particularly cancerous.
Cigarette smoke damages and can kill hair-like projections on airway cells termed cilia. The cilia normally sweep out toxins, carcinogens, viruses, and bacteria. When the cilia are damaged or destroyed by smoke, all of these items may accumulate in the lungs and may cause problems such as infections or lung cancer.
Unfortunately, lung cancers often have either no early symptoms or nonspecific early symptoms that people often dismiss. About 25% of people with lung cancer and no symptoms are diagnosed after having a chest X-ray or CT during a routine test or as a procedure for other problems. Lung cancer symptoms that may be detected are included below.
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