Bad air behind rise in lung cancer among non-smokers: Study

A new global analysis has found that there is an increase in lung cancer diagnoses among people who have never smoked, raising particular concerns for countries like India where severe air pollution affects multiple states, especially during winter months.

- Rhythma Kaul

NEW DELHI:

According to a study published on Tuesday in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine journal, adenocarcinoma has emerged as the predominant form among four main lung cancer subtypes, accounting for 53%-70% of cases in never-smokers worldwide.

The research estimates that in 2022, ambient particulate matter pollution was responsible for 114,486 adenocarcinoma cases in men and 80,378 cases in women globally.

The suggests a growing link between air pollution and lung cancer risk particularly in eastern Asia and China.