When it comes to lung cancer, it has always been thought of as a smoker’s disease. Though this is largely true but the trend is changing in an important way. Those people who have never smoked are being diagnosed with lung cancer. About 15 to 20 percent of all lung cancer cases occur in never smokers.
LCINS as a Distinct Clinical Entity
In a recent opinion piece published in Trends in Cancer, researchers examined that the rising global burden of lung cancer in people who are never smokers. Traditional lung cancer models are based on smoking history and thus, they are inadequate for those with no history of smoking. Lung Cancer In Never Smokers (LCINS) represents a growing percentage of cases. It is being recognizer as a distinct biological and clinical entity. It has been found that LCINS is more common among women and Asian populations, especially those women who never smoked.
Why Diagnosis Remains Challenging
Lung cancer itself is difficult to diagnose and among non-smokers, it gets more challenging to identify at an early stage. Among non-smokers, inherited and acquired biological predispositions are found to be the most contributing elements.
Environmental Risk Factors
Air pollution can act as a trigger to damage the lung cells. Exposure to radon gas is another factor responsible for emerging lung cancer cases. Radon gas can seep from the ground into home especially basements or enclosed spaces. It is responsible for around 21,000 lung cancer deaths annually in U.S. alone.
The Need for Better Screening and Research
LCINS is often diagnosed at later stage, leading to poor outcomes for the patients. It has become essential to treat LCINS as a distinct form of lung cancer and require greater investment in research, screen and clinical trials. Lung cancer assessments should be pushed towards risk-based screening rather than just relying primarily on smoking history.
The information shared in this blog is for educational purposes only.
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