Top 10 Causes of Lung Cancer

Cigarettes increase all of the above risks many fold and are the leading cause of lung cancer. About 80% fatal lung cancer cases in men and 90% in women were caused by smoking cigarettes. The sooner you quit, the sooner your lungs begin to heal and your risk lowers—though of course, those who have never smoked will always be at a lower risk. Smoking increases your risk of lung cancer to about 20 times higher than that of nonsmokers.

Radon is among the biggest causes of fatal lung cancer, especially for non-smokers. About 21,000 people die each year from lung cancer to due radon exposure, and 2,900 of them are non-smokers.

Sometimes used in the treatment of cancer, arsenic is also a carcinogen linked to elevated risks of lung cancer.

While most people know that asbestos is linked to mesothelioma, a specific type of lung disease, asbestos can also cause lung cancer. Nonsmokers who work with asbestos have a five times greater risk of developing lung cancer than other nonsmokers. Asbestos can be found in car brakes, old building materials, and natural deposits.

Secondhand smoke kills about 3,000 people every year due to fatal lung cancer. One can be exposed to secondhand smoke at home, work, public venues like restaurants, or even just walking down the street. While some states have laws in place to manage smoking in public, others still permit it indoors in many places.