Lung Cancer Risks
Lung cancer risk factors vary greatly, from controllable risks like quitting smoking to family history. Here are some of the most common risk factors associated with lung cancer:
Smoking
Your risk of lung cancer increases with the number of cigarettes you smoke daily and the number of years you’ve been a smoker. Quitting at any age can lower your risk of developing this deadly cancer significantly. There is a reason that cigarettes are called “coffin nails.”
Exposure to Secondhand Smoke
Non-smokers who are exposed to secondhand smoke are at an increased risk of developing lung cancer. If you are a smoker, save your loved ones by not smoking indoors and/or around them. If you love a smoker, help him or her lower their risks (and yours) by encouraging quitting.
Exposure to Radon Gas
Radon, an odorless, colorless gas, is produced by the natural breakdown of uranium in soil, rock and water that eventually makes its way into the air we breathe. Radon testing kits, which can be purchased at most home improvement stores, can help determine whether or not the levels of radon in our homes, office buildings and schools are safe.
Asbestos and Other Chemicals
Exposure to asbestos and/or other substances known to cause cancer -- including arsenic, chromium and nickel, can increase your risk of developing lung cancer. This risk increases substantially if you’re a smoker.
Family History of Lung Cancer
If you have a parent, sibling or child who has developed lung cancer, then you have an increased risk of developing the disease yourself.
Spot the Signs
One of the insidious things about lung cancer is that it doesn’t typically cause signs and symptoms in its earliest stages. Most lung cancers don’t start exhibiting signs and symptoms until the cancer has spread too far to be cured. However, getting medical help at the onset of symptoms can increase your odds of being diagnosed with an earlier stage of lung cancer. For example, the Mayo Clinic reports that 52 percent of patients diagnosed with early-stage lung cancer are still alive after 5 years. That figure drops to 4 percent in patients diagnosed with late-stage lung cancer. As the disease advances, signs and symptoms may include:
A New Cough That Doesn’t Go Away: If you have a cough that lingers for weeks, won’t go away or is getting progressively worse, seek medical attention. If you have an infection like bronchitis that won’t go away or has been getting worse, you also should seek help.
Changes in a Chronic Cough or “Smoker’s Cough”: If you have smoker’s cough that changes in frequency or intensity, it’s a sign that something is awry.
Coughing up Even a Small Amount of Blood: Coughing up a small amount of blood may seem like something that can be dismissed or brushed aside. But if you have other risk factors for lung cancer, you’ll want to speak with your doctor about coughing up even the smallest amount of blood.
Shortness of Breath: Difficulty catching your breath or taking deep breaths is a sign that you’re having a problem with your lungs. See your doctor ASAP.
Chest Pain: Chest pain, especially chest pain made worse by breathing, coughing or laughing, is a sign that there’s trouble in your lungs.
Wheezing: A new onset of wheezing or worsening symptoms may be signs that cancer may be affecting your breathing. Make an appointment to get your lungs checked, stat.
Hoarseness: We all know that smokers do damage to their vocal cords after years of smoking and develop a specific type of voice. However, if you find yourself increasingly hoarse or experience drastic changes in your voice, get checked.
Losing Weight Without Trying: If you aren’t dieting but have been losing weight, especially if that weight loss is accompanied by fatigue or feelings of weakness, you should make an appointment to be checked.
Bone Pain: Because lung cancer doesn’t have many symptoms during early stages, often by the time it’s been found, it has spread to other parts of the body. Bone pain may indicate that the cancer has already begun to spread.
Headache: Nervous system changes, most notably headaches and especially accompanied by weakness or numbness in an arm or leg, dizziness, balance problems or seizures may be a sign that the cancer has spread from the lungs to the brain or spinal cord.
When to Get Help
If you are a smoker who has tried and been unable to quit, make an appointment with your doctor. It may be one of the best ways to avoid this potentially fatal disease. Your doctor can recommend cessation strategies, including nicotine patches, counseling and other medications.
If have any of the signs of symptoms above, especially if you’re a smoker or have any of the other risk factors outlined above, make an appointment with your doctor.
The National Institutes of Health estimate that cancer care cost the United States an overall $124.6 billion in 2010, $12.1 billion of which was due to lung cancer. Lost productivity due to early cancer deaths led to an additional $134.8 billion cost in 2005, $36.1 billion due to lung cancer. Taking steps to minimize your risks and understanding early symptoms may help keep you from facing off with this monster.