Lung cancer, long known to affect smokers, is seeing a significant rise in people who do not smoke, said doctors on Monday, raising concern over the shift.According to health experts, increased exposure to air pollution as the major reason.
A recent research, published in the Lancet’s eClinical Medicine Journal showed that a majority of lung cancer patients in India are non-smokers. The study noted that lung cancer cases are also manifesting in India about 10 years earlier as compared to Western countries.
“India’s lung cancer demographic presents a unique and concerning picture, with a rising incidence among younger individuals and an increasing number of cases occurring in non-smokers. Traditionally, lung cancer has been strongly associated with smoking, but we are witnessing a shift, especially in urban populations,” Dr. Prasad Adusumilli, Thoracic Surgeon and Cellular Therapist, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), US, said.
Lung cancer is also the leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally, with increasing cases among non-smokers, especially women and Asian populations.
India reports about 75,000 new cases every year. Worryingly, a considerable number of lung cancer patients are diagnosed at advanced stages in the country.