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Lung Cancer Prevention
Did you realize that approximately 10% of lung cancer patients
have never in their lives smoked cigarettes? When asked about
lung cancer prevention, most people will tell you that the
easiest way to prevent lung cancer is to never take up the
dangerous habit of cigarette smoking. And while it's true that
smoking often leads to lung cancer, the fact that 10% of lung
cancer patients are not now nor have ever been smokers cannot be
easily explained.
Cancer in its simplest definition is the potential end result of
a mutation or alteration that occurs within a gene. And
sometimes, there is just no way to stop (or prevent) a gene from
changing, nor is there a way to control the genes you inherit.
When one gene in particular, the epidermal growth factor
receptor gene, undergoes a mutation, the mutation is such that
it basically gives the green light for cancerous cells to grow
and also to divide. Such a situation is totally unavoidable.
Unfortunately, taking lung cancer prevention steps won't
eliminate your chance of developing today's number one cause of
death. That's not to say that it's okay to continue certain
risky behaviors. You should take whatever steps you can to
control the risks in your life. Not smoking, wearing a seatbelt,
driving responsibly, and avoiding drugs and alcohol are all ways
to control risk.
The Risks You Can Control
Even though lung cancer prevention is not guaranteed, there are
ways to keep the risks associated with developing lung cancer to
a minimum. Let's take a look at some environmental factors.
Probably the best lung cancer prevention tip (besides not
smoking) is to stay away from sources of passive smoke like
burning cigarettes and exhaled smoke. Second-hand smoke in the
long-term can do as much damage as first-hand smoke. When you
breathe second-hand smoke, those dangerous chemicals still enter
your respiratory system, although in weaker levels. If you live
with a smoker or you spend a lot of time with one, ask that
person to smoke outdoors or somewhere where you won't have to
inhale their smoke.
Try to stay away from the environmental pollutants that can
cause lung cancer. These include asbestos, coal, soot, arsenic,
nickel, chromium and radon. Use of asbestos has been banned in
the United States, however it is still present in buildings and
materials that were manufactured before its use was banned and
in countries that have not passed such legislation. Anytime
there is the possibility that you might come into contact with
asbestos or the other pollutants listed above, be sure to wear a
mask and take whatever other protective measures you can to
limit the amount you inhale.
Moving to the suburbs may not prevent lung cancer, but there is
evidence of a correlation between cites with major air pollution
problems and increased rates of lung cancer.
Life is full of choices, but when it comes to lung cancer
prevention the choices you make could mean the difference
between life and death, so choose wisely!
About the author:
Gray Rollins is a featured writer for LifeLungCancer.com. To
learn more about lung
cancer prevention and how
smoking increases lung cancer risk, visit our site.
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