The number one risk factor for lung cancer is smoking. Smoking causes 8 out of every 10 cases. The longer someone has smoked increases the risk of getting lung cancer, as does the number (packs) of cigarettes he or she smokes every day. Quitting at any age lowers the risk.
Second-hand smoke is also a risk factor. Non-smoking spouses of smokers have a 30% greater risk of developing lung cancer than non-smoking spouses of non-smokers.
Smoking alone causes one-third of all cancer deaths. Environmental exposure to certain substances, such as asbestos, is another risk factor for lung cancer. Family history of a mother or father or sibling may have a slightly higher risk.
Not smoking and avoiding those who do, and eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables could lower one's risk of getting lung cancer.
Many cases of lung cancer are found in their early stages because a test was ordered for something else. The average age of people diagnosed with lung cancer is 70.
Many people with lung cancer do not have any signs or symptoms, but some may include a cough that doesn't go away, hoarseness, unexplained weight-loss, bloody or rust-colored sputum, shortness of breath, wheezing, chest pain, bronchitis, or pneumonia that keeps coming back.
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