Key points from article :
Lung cancer is no longer just a smoker’s disease. New research from the International Agency for Research on Cancer, published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, reveals a troubling trend: lung cancer cases among people who have never smoked are increasing globally, with air pollution emerging as a major contributing factor. In fact, for non-smokers, lung cancer ranks as the fifth leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide, with most cases being adenocarcinoma—a type of tumour that forms in glandular tissue, predominantly affecting women and Asian populations.
In 2022 alone, around 200,000 adenocarcinoma cases, or 15% of the global total, were linked to air pollution. The burden is especially high in East Asia, notably China, where household exposure to solid fuel burning for cooking and heating adds to the risk, particularly among women. Researchers stress that as smoking rates decline globally, environmental factors like air pollution are becoming more prominent in lung cancer statistics.
This shift underscores the urgent need for preventive measures, such as stricter air quality regulations and expanded access to clean energy. Despite advances in cancer research, lung cancer survival rates remain low, with less than 10% of patients in the UK surviving beyond 10 years. As the UK government prepares its new National Cancer Plan, experts hope targeted action will address both traditional and emerging causes of lung cancer to improve outcomes for all patients.
