A new study published on World Cancer Day has found that air pollution is contributing to the increasing number of lung cancer cases among non-smokers. Researchers analyzed data from over 1,000 subtypes of lung cancer and found that adenocarcinoma, a type of cancer that starts in glands, has become the dominant subtype among both men and women.
The study revealed that adenocarcinoma accounted for 53-70% of lung cancer cases in non-smokers worldwide in 2022. The risk of this subtype is considered weakly related to cigarette smoking, suggesting that changes in air pollution exposure may be a major factor in the increasing incidence of lung cancer among never-smokers.
The authors of the study suggest that declining smoking rates and increasing exposure to air pollution are driving these trends. According to Freddie Bray, lead author and head of the cancer surveillance branch at IARC, “Changes in smoking patterns and exposure to air pollution are among the main determinants of the changing risk profile of lung cancer incidence by subtype that we see today.”
The study also found that women and Asian populations are disproportionately affected by this type of lung cancer. In 2022, 80,378 cases of adenocarcinoma were attributed to ambient particulate matter (PM) pollution worldwide.
With nearly everyone living in areas not meeting the WHO air quality criteria as of 2019, air pollution is a significant concern for public health. The study’s findings offer valuable insights for cancer prevention specialists and policymakers seeking to develop strategies tailored to high-risk populations.
Source: https://www.ndtv.com/feature/lung-cancer-cases-in-never-smokers-on-the-rise-lancet-study-7628361