Reason people who have never smoked are possibly being diagnosed with lung cancer

Experts have explained why people who don’t smoke cigarettes being diagnosed with lung cancer is possibly increasing—and the answer may surprise you.

Lung cancer, the third most common cancer in the US, and according to the Lung Cancer Research Foundation, one in 16 US citizens will be diagnosed with the disease in their lifetime - with those who smoke cigarettes and/or cigars are more likely to develop the health issue than others.

However, scientists believe there’s actually another reason people across the globe may be suffering from the disease.

To coincide with World Cancer Day (February 4), experts from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) have outlined findings from a recent experiment in the revered Lancet Respiratory Medicine journal.

Their paper, titled ‘Estimated worldwide variation and trends in incidence of lung cancer by histological subtype in 2022 and over time: a population-based study’, saw authorities utilising data from the Global Cancer Observatory (GLOBOCAN) 2022, Cancer Incidence in Five Continents Volumes VII–XII, and members of the African Cancer Registry Network to come by results.

The experts used their findings to ‘calculate country-specific, sex-specific, and age-specific proportions of and sex-specific and age-specific incidence rates per 100 000 people for all four histological subtypes.’

Researchers believe non-smokers are being diagnosed with lung cancer due to increased air pollution (Getty Stock Image)

These subtypes are adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma [SCC], small-cell carcinoma, and large-cell carcinoma.

Adenocarcinoma, the most dominant of the four subtypes of the disease, was revealed to be the fifth largest leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide in those who have never smoked.

Results also showed there were an estimated 1.6 million new cases of lung cancer in men in 2022 and 909,000 cases in women - even as the amount of smokers declined globally.

Researchers claimed that the biggest contributing factor to these specific lung cancer cases was likely down to air pollution.

“Air pollution can be considered an important factor that partly explains the emerging predominance of adenocarcinoma that accounts for 53% to 70% of cases of lung cancer among people who have never smoked worldwide,” the study states.

Speaking about how lung cancer is evolving, Dr. Freddie Bray, head of the IARC’s cancer surveillance branch and lead author of the study, said: “The results provide important insights as to how both the disease and the underlying risk factors are evolving, offering clues as to how we can optimally prevent lung cancer worldwide.

Smoking is decreasing globally (Getty stock images)

“Changes in smoking patterns and exposure to air pollution are among the main determinants of the changing risk profile of lung cancer incidence by subtype that we see today.

“The diverging trends by sex in recent generations offer insights to cancer prevention specialists and policy-makers seeking to develop and implement tobacco and air pollution control strategies tailored to high-risk populations.”

Following the publication of the study, the IARC has stated that further investigation into how air pollution and other possible casual factors can cause lung cancer is needed.

You can check out the full study here.