Navigating Lung Cancer Navigating Lung Cancer | Page 12

NAVIGATING LUNG CANCER
Causes of Lung Cancer
Smoking is still the number one cause of lung cancer. In fact, smoking
is the cause of many other cancers, including:
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esophageal
larynx
mouth
throat
kidney
bladder
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pancreatic
stomach
cervical
colon
rectal
acute myeloid leukemia
liver
The American Cancer Society estimates that 80% to 85% of all lung cancer cases in
the United States are linked to smoking. This includes people who have quit smoking.
Any kind of smoking seems to increase the risk of lung cancer. Smoking cigarettes,
cigars, and pipes have all been linked to lung cancer. Smoking marijuana may
also increase the risk, especially in young people. Exposure to secondhand smoke
increases the risk. It is estimated that secondhand smoke causes more than 3,000
lung cancer deaths each year among nonsmoking adults.
No one knows for sure the impact of smoking e-cigarettes (vaping) on lung health.
E-cigarettes contain nicotine. Like tobacco cigarettes, they can lead to nicotine
addiction. Some claim that inhaling e-cigarettes may be safer than tobacco smoking.
Some think it may help smokers quit. There are no data to support these claims.
Others believe that e-cigarettes may lead more young people to start smoking
tobacco. More research is needed.
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