Gaby
While the number of smokers worldwide continues to decline, lung cancer remains a leading cause of nearly two million deaths each year. Researchers are alarmed by the rising incidence of the disease among people who have never smoked.
A team of scientists from Guangdong Medical University (China) and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (France) has found that high lung cancer rates among non-smokers may be linked to rising air pollution. “As lung cancer is the most common type of cancer globally, it is crucial to have a comprehensive understanding of the changing epidemiological patterns and their potential causes,” the researchers wrote in their report.
What Did the Scientists Discover?
By analyzing statistical data from the Global Cancer Observatory (GLOBOCAN) for 2022, along with other cancer incidence registries from 1988 to 2017, the researchers identified that adenocarcinoma is the most prevalent type of lung cancer worldwide. It accounts for 45.6 percent of cases in men and 59.7 percent in women.
While adenocarcinoma can certainly be caused by smoking, it is not the most common type of lung cancer among smokers. However, it is the most frequently diagnosed lung cancer in non-smokers, according to Science Alert.
By comparing their findings with previous studies, the team observed a trend of increasing lung cancer cases among individuals who have never smoked. The team said this is an issue society needs to address, while continuing efforts to reduce smoking, especially among young people.
“Lung cancer in people who have never smoked is the fifth leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide,” the team wrote, “occurring almost exclusively as adenocarcinoma and most often affecting women and Asian populations.”
The researchers believe that the primary reason for the rising lung cancer incidence among non-smokers is the increase in air pollution. It is no surprise that a significant percentage of cases are found among residents of East Asia, particularly in China, where air quality is among the worst in the world.
As smoking declines, another cause is rising: environmental pollution. That driver is less about personal lifestyle and more about global environmental change.
The study’s authors say the results will help shape strategies for controlling tobacco use and reducing air pollution.
The study was published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine.
