Risk Factors and Prevention

A risk factor is anything that increases a person’s chance of developing cancer. Some risk factors can be controlled, such as smoking, and some cannot be controlled, such as age and family history. Although risk factors can influence the development of cancer, most do not directly cause cancer. Some people with several risk factors never develop cancer, while others with no known risk factors do. However, knowing your risk factors and communicating them to your doctor may help you make more informed lifestyle and health care choices.

The following factors may raise a person’s risk of developing lung cancer:

Tobacco. Most lung cancer occurs in people who smoke. Tobacco smoke damages cells in the lungs, causing the cells to grow abnormally. The risk that smoking will lead to cancer is higher for people who smoke heavily and/or for a long time. Regular exposure to smoke from someone else’s cigarettes, cigars, or pipes (called environmental or “secondhand” tobacco smoke) can increase a person’s risk of lung cancer even if that person does not smoke.

Asbestos. These are hair-like crystals found in many types of rock and are often used as fireproof insulation in buildings. When asbestos fibers are inhaled, they can irritate the lung. Many studies show that the combination of smoking and asbestos exposure is particularly hazardous. People who work with asbestos in jobs (such as shipbuilding, asbestos mining, insulation, or automotive brake repair) and smoke have a higher risk of developing lung cancer. Using protective breathing equipment reduces this risk.

Radon. This is an invisible, odorless gas naturally released by some soil and rocks. Exposure to radon has been associated with an increased risk of some types of cancer, including lung cancer. Most hardware stores have kits that test home radon levels, and basements can be ventilated to reduce radon exposure.

The most important way to prevent lung cancer is to avoid tobacco smoke. People who never smoke have the lowest risk of lung cancer. People who smoke can reduce their risk of lung cancer by stopping smoking, but their risk of lung cancer will still be higher than people who never smoked. Attempts to prevent lung cancer with vitamins or other treatments have not worked. Beta-carotene, a drug related to vitamin A, has been tested for the prevention of lung cancer. It did not reduce the risk of cancer. In people who continued to smoke, beta-carotene actually increased the risk of lung cancer.

Screening

There are no tests recommended for screening the general population for lung cancer. Doctors still need to prove that screening everyone at risk for lung cancer reduces rates of death from lung cancer in the general population. A new test, called a low-dose helical (or spiral) computed tomography (CT or CAT) scan, is currently being studied for this purpose. A CT scan creates a three-dimensional picture of the inside of the body with an x-ray machine. A computer then combines these images into a detailed, cross-sectional view that shows any abnormalities or tumors. Sometimes, a contrast medium (a special dye) is injected into a patient’s vein to provide better detail.