Increase in Lung Cancer Among Non-Smokers... The Cause of Onset Revealed

The incidence of lung cancer among non-smokers is rapidly increasing, with air pollution identified as a major cause, according to a study.

On the 4th (local time), the British newspaper The Guardian reported that the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) analyzed and published the global lung cancer incidence status for 2022 in the international academic journal Lancet Respiratory Medicine. According to the study, approximately 2.5 million people worldwide were diagnosed with lung cancer in 2022, with particularly high incidence rates among non-smokers and women.

Fine dust concentration in downtown Seoul has soared from 'Bad' to 'Very Bad' levels. Photo by Yoon Dong-ju

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Most lung cancers in non-smokers appeared as adenocarcinoma, a form of cancer originating from cells that secrete fluids. Among about 1.5 million men newly diagnosed with lung cancer in 2022, 717,211 (45.6%) had adenocarcinoma, while among 908,630 women diagnosed with lung cancer, 541,971 (59.7%) were diagnosed with adenocarcinoma, exceeding half.

The institute stated that about 200,000 cases of lung adenocarcinoma are related to air pollution. In particular, exposure to particulate matter (PM) was pointed out as a likely major cause of the increase in lung cancer incidence among non-smokers. Specifically, it was estimated that approximately 111,486 male and 80,378 female adenocarcinoma cases were influenced by particulate matter. Furthermore, a warning was issued that the risk of lung cancer related to air pollution is increasing in East Asian regions such as China.

Another notable point is that over the past 40 years, lung cancer incidence rates in men have decreased in most countries, whereas rates in women have shown an increasing trend. Experts cited changes in smoking rates as one of the main reasons for this phenomenon. While the smoking rate among men peaked early and has been declining, the smoking rate among women has not yet reached its peak. Additionally, genetic mutations that may make women more vulnerable to lung cancer and hormonal changes during menopause were identified as factors that could influence the incidence of lung cancer in women.

Dr. Freddy Bray, co-author of this study and head of the cancer surveillance section at IARC, told The Guardian, "There is accumulating evidence of a causal relationship between ambient particulate matter pollution and increased risk of lung adenocarcinoma," adding, "Future adenocarcinoma incidence depends on reductions in smoking and air pollution."

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