Causes
Of Lung Cancer A) Exposure to cigarette smoke, nickel, asbestos
and radon: The most common cause of lung cancer is from smoking
cigarettes, smoking cigar or smoking pipe. About 65,000 men and 27,000 women die
every year in the U.S. from cigarette smoking. The use of self hypnosis, possibly
in combination with Nicoderm or Nicorette, could safe many of these lives. Asbestos
dust exposure in the past was also an important cause of causing lung cancer.
The
asbestos fiber is taken in by the lungs and causes a chronic inflammation, which
can degenerate after many years into lung cancer.This type of cancer accounts
only for 3% of all lung cancers (malignant mesothelioma, here is a support
site for those who suffer from it). Inorganic arsenic leads to
lung cancer as well as skin and liver cancer. It is of concern in mining or smelters,
pesticide manufacturing and handling, the use of "alternative" arsenic
medication and contamination of drinking water in some rural mining towns. Exposure
to fumes with chromium compounds, Bis(chloromethyl)ether or mustard gas as can
be found in certain manufacturing, also leads to a higher incidence of lung cancer.
Nickel dust exposure used in the refining industry will cause cancer of the sinuses
and lungs. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are used in the coal processing industry
and cause lung and skin cancer. Radon is a naturally occurring inert gas.
It is a decay product of uranium-238. Radon is decaying further and emits radiation,
which acts on the lining of the lung and can cause radiation induced cancer. Radon
is present in soil and rocks and can seep into homes and office buildings. This
can become a problem in air-tight homes where air circulation is restricted. Radon
concentration can be measured easily by a health office using a radonmeter (data
pooled from Ref. 1, 2 and 3). B)
Genetic traits: There appear to be several mechanisms of rendering
the carcinogens of cigarette smoke even more carcinogenic. There are several detoxifying
liver enzymes that nature modified spontaneously in some families around the globe.
When people with a defect of an enzyme system in the liver, which metabolizes
a tobacco-specific N-nitrosamine, get exposed to cigarette smoke, they manufacture
an even more powerful carcinogen. This way they have an eight-fold higher risk
to develop lung cancer than a normal person who is exposed to cigarette smoke.
This defect is inherited in a recessive manner. A genetic defect in the glutathione
- S - transferases, a liver enzyme system normally diminishing the carcinogenic
effect of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons of cigarette smoke, leads to a higher
vulnerability of the person with the genetic defect to carcinogens. This genetic
defect is inherited in an autosomal dominant fashion and makes the bearer much
more vulnerable to environmental pollution, cigarette smoke or exposure to carcinogenic
gases(=polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) in industry (Ref. 1 and 2). C)
Diet and lung cancer: Carotenoids(from carrots), vitamin C and vitamin
E trap free radicals and reactive oxygen molecules. Selenium is a trace mineral,
which is a component of antioxidant enzymes. All these supplements, which
are normally contained in a well balanced diet, play an important role in scavenging
free radicals from tobacco smoke, solvents and pollutants. There may be more nutrients,
which play a role in detoxifying carcinogens and protect the body from lung cancer
every day, but research is complicated by differences in statistical methods,
conflicting results and different cancer incidences around the world. Increased
fat intake and obesity also have lead to an increase of lung cancer. One-sided
diets with too much fat could predispose that person to lung cancer (Ref. 1 and
2).
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