Cancer-related lung injury activity

Lung cancer is a disease in which abnormal cells in the lung grow out of control and cause tumors. According to the WHO, lung cancer is the most common cancer in 2020, with 2.21 million deaths after breast cancer, which reported 2.26 million deaths.

The exact reason for lung cancer can be classically defined as “multifactorial.” This can be an environmental factor and then some genetic factors. Recently, a slight increase in prevalence has been observed in young women, the cause of which remains a mystery. As oncologists, we regularly work on lung cancer, head and neck cancer, as well as stomach cancer, bladder cancer, etc., which are mainly caused by excessive tobacco intake (smokeless / smoking / water gisel / indirect smoking). .. In most cases, what started out as an epidemic turns into an obsession that leads to a life-threatening illness before the victim notices it. Smoking is the most important risk factor for developing lung cancer. Two-thirds of all lung cancers are associated with smoking. However, non-smokers’ lung cancer remains a unique and independent entity (less than 100 cigarettes in their lifetime). According to some data, 19% of all women in the United States with lung cancer were nonsmokers.

Several other factors that lead to lung cancer are:

Radon, a radioactive gas naturally present in soil and rocks. Radon is a gaseous decay product of uranium-238 and radium-226 that damages the lung epithelium by releasing alpha particles. The Aizawl district of Mizoram has the highest indoor radon / tron ​​concentration and lung cancer incidence in India.

Occupational exposure: Commonly associated toxins include occupational exposure to asbestos, chromium, arsenic, and organic dust (mining).

Arsenic is involved as a cause of lung cancer that pollutes drinking water. Whole-genome sequencing of lung cancer in patients with arsenic exposure and no smoking experience revealed an aberrant tumor protein p53 (TP53) mutation.

Dietary Factors: High intakes of fruits, vegetables, and low-fat foods may prevent lung cancer (the healthiest dietary pattern).

Indoor air pollutants, such as steam from cooking oil and smoke from burning coal, are particularly associated with lung cancer in women in Asia (India).

Outdoor air pollution is also associated with the risk of lung cancer. The use of surrounding particulate matter (PM2.5) as a measure of air pollution increased lung cancer mortality by 15-27% in people who had never smoked.

Underlying Lung Disease and Treatment-Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, Exposure to Previous Radiation or Chemotherapy.

Viruses that cause cancer, such as human papillomavirus types 16 and 18 (carcinogenic viruses). It is also becoming more relevant to HIV infection.

Genetic factors: Lung cancer was significantly more common, especially among those with a positive family history of early-onset lung cancer ()

Estrogen — The role of estrogen and other female hormones in female lung cancer risk, regardless of smoking status, is unknown. Studies show that the majority of NSCLC express estrogen receptor beta. Relationship between lung cancer incidence and premature menopause, use of hormone therapy (such as tamoxifen and HRT), age of first birth, and number of children. However, the results are inconsistent.

Inflammation and Other Beneficial Pulmonary Diseases-Patients with a history of emphysema, chronic bronchitis, pneumonia, and tuberculosis have an increased risk of lung cancer. Increased risk includes all histological types of lung cancer (adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, small cells).

Genetic conditions such as alpha 1 antitrypsin deficiency

Body Mass Index — There is an inverse relationship between Body Mass Index (BMI) and lung cancer (especially small cell lung cancer), but it may be related to comorbidity and other factors.

Certain vitamins and beta-carotene supplements show the consequences of confounding.

Opium use (Illegal drugs derived from poppy plants are associated with an increased risk of developing lung cancer, dose addiction).

Screening is a method of detecting cancer in high-risk cases when they are asymptomatic. Low-dose helical CT scans are the only early detection screening technique that has been shown to reduce mortality in people at high risk for lung cancer. Individuals at high risk of needing lung CT screening are long-term smokers. Lung cancer screening by chest radiography and salivary cytopathology has not been shown to reduce lung cancer mortality.

Remember that “cancer” is importantly a “lifestyle-related disease”. If diagnosed early enough, the cancer may be cured. If not, treatment should improve your quality of life and help you live longer. We, oncologists, also want to tell everyone to make smart lifestyle choices. Each person has the right to his or her life and health, and the decision about it depends only on himself.

This article was written by Dr. Niti Raizada, Director of Oncology and Hematology Oncology at Fortis Rafam Hospital in Richmond Road, Bangalore.