Lung Cancers Not Always Smoking-Related

Christa, not her real name, age 36, exercises daily, eats right and has smoked fewer than 20 cigarettes in her lifetime. You would think she would be a picture of health, and in most cases, you would be correct. Sadly, in Christa’s case, a bad diagnosis was in her future. She was shocked when she was diagnosed with lung cancer, proving that good health habits, while usually being a significant guarantee, is not a fool-proof guarantee.

Lung cancer is the second most common cancer in both men and women in the United States. The cancer is usually associated with older patients, specifically in those who smoked for many years. Sadly, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says up to 20% of new diagnoses are now made in people who have never smoked – with the majority of them occurring in women.

While the overall number of lung cancer incidences is slowly decreasing, it’s not decreasing nearly as fast in women as in men. My guess would be that since older men were more likely to smoke, any decline would probably favor them.

As for non-smoking related lung cancers, medical experts say radon levels in the home, air pollution, and even candles and incense could be driving this trend. Radon is an odorless, colorless radioactive gas that forms when radioactive metals break down in rocks, soil and groundwater. People are typically exposed to radon through cracks and gaps in buildings and homes. Is radon legit?

People used to live with basements that often were nothing more than dirt floors. Even in homes with concrete basements, it’s usually just a matter of time until the substrate show cracks. Could it be, that in our drive to make homes more energy efficient - in order to “save the planet” - that we have created homes so air-tight, the natural gases given off by rocks and dirt can no longer escape. Is it environmentalism, and a lazy always-indoors society, which is causing non-smoking lung cancers?

Christa suspects she was exposed to radon in her childhood home in Greenville, South Carolina, which the EPA has designated as having the highest potential for elevated indoor radon levels. With such suspicions, she has installed a radon mitigation system in her home to hopefully protect her 1-year-old son and 3-year-old daughter.

While I know what the “trust the science” people would say, I have my doubts about radon being an evil gas... when found at levels occurring in nature. Is there any chance that low levels of natural radiation actually keep us healthy by helping to keep certain viruses at bay? Could it be that radon is only dangerous when trapped in air-tight spaces such as modern day insulated homes? Think of one cigarette in an enclosed bathroom vs one cigarette inside a basketball arena. Large city air pollution certainly doesn't help, either.

It’s important to catch lung cancer early, so if you have any of the common symptoms, consider having a checkup: a persistent cough, chest pain, unexplained weight loss, shortness of breath or an onset of wheezing. However, avoid paranoia. Despite Christa’s experience, proper health habits still remain your best assurance.

Source used: USA Today