Who is at risk for getting lung cancer?
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Dr. Patrick Maguire answered:Smoking puts you at increased risk of developing lung cancer. Approximately 90% of patients who are diagnosed with lung cancer have a history of smoking. The rest develop lung cancer as a result of exposure to secondhand smoke or other known carcinogens including radon. Other studies have recently shown an increased risk of lung cancer diagnosis and/or death for women using long-term hormone replacement therapy with estrogen and progesterone. Chronic inflammation as measured by blood levels of C-reactive protein also appears to double the risk of a lung cancer diagnosis.Smoking puts you at increased risk of developing lung cancer. Approximately 90% of patients who are diagnosed with lung cancer have a history of smoking. The rest develop lung cancer as a result of exposure to secondhand smoke or other known... More -
Dr. John A. Howington of NorthShore University HealthSystem answered:If you smoked a pack a day for 20 years or more, you’re at increased risk of lung cancer. If you have a first-degree relative who has had lung cancer and you’re a smoker, you definitely should be screened.
If you smoked a pack a day for 20 years or more, you’re at increased risk of lung cancer. If you have a first-degree relative who has had lung cancer and you’re a smoker, you definitely should be screened. More -
Penn Medicine answered:Every smoker is at risk for lung cancer. Smokers are 10 to 20 times more likely to get lung cancer. About 90 percent of lung cancer deaths in men and almost 80 percent of lung cancer deaths in women are due to smoking.
A person’s risk of getting lung cancer from cigarette smoking increases the longer he smokes, the more he smokes, and the deeper he inhales. Smoking low tar cigarettes does not prevent someone from getting lung cancer. Importantly, if a person quits smoking, his risk of getting lung cancer declines. The longer a person goes without smoking, the greater that person’s risk declines. It is never too late to quit because a person’s risk declines somewhat no matter how long he has been smoking.
It is now recommended that physicians discuss lung cancer screening with people who meet certain criteria that put them at higher risk for developing lung cancer. Specifically, the new guidelines recommend doctors discuss lung cancer screening with high-risk patients between the ages of 55 to 74 years and who are in fairly good health.
Although smoking cigarettes is by far the most common and important risk factor for getting lung cancer, there are some environmental exposures that increase a person’s risk for lung cancer as well. People who work with asbestos are more likely to get lung cancer; and if they smoke cigarettes too, their risk rises even higher.
Exposure to radon has been associated with a slightly increased risk of lung cancer.
People who have already had lung cancer are at risk for getting it again.
If you currently smoke, or have smoked in the past, it is important to discuss your health and personal risk for developing lung cancer with your physician.Every smoker is at risk for lung cancer. Smokers are 10 to 20 times more likely to get lung cancer. About 90 percent of lung cancer deaths in men and almost 80 percent of lung cancer deaths in women are due to smoking. A person’s risk of... More
