You might associate a high risk of lung cancer with habitual smoking, or being in constant close quarters with a habitual smoker. However, the American Cancer Society points to a few other high-risk factors for lung cancer, even for people who have never smoked a cigarette or used tobacco in any form. According to experts at the American Cancer Society, “as many as 20% of people who die from lung cancer in the United States every year have never smoked or used any other form of tobacco.” Researchers now understand that there may be additional factors that put people at risk for developing lung cancer.
How you can get lung cancer without smoking may come as a surprise to you—Cancer -causing agents can linger in the air you breathe. In some cases, people do not know they came in contact with a carcinogenic substance until it is too late. If you or a loved one developed lung cancer due to an unnecessary exposure to a carcinogenic substance, you can hold negligent parties liable for the damage of treating lung cancer.
About Lung Cancer Risks
While staying away from smoking is a good way to potentially prevent lung cancer, there is no way to guarantee that you will never have lung cancer, or any kind of cancer. Researchers are still working to find answers when it comes to everything concerning cancer—People want to know everything about the risk factors and warning signs, to the predictability of a cancer prognosis.
Truthfully, there is still a lot being discovered about cancer. However, in studying specific kinds of cancers, like lung cancer, researchers can attribute some common risk factors for people who may develop it, in addition to smoking. Here is how you can get lung cancer without smoking:
-
- Exposure to radon gas: The American Cancer Society says that 2,900 people die from exposure to radon gas, an odorless, invisible gas that lingers and silently kills, especially for people who live in older construction housing where it may go undetected. The only way to know if there is radon gas in your home is to have it tested.
- Exposure to secondhand smoke: The American Cancer Society says 7,000 adults die every year from second-hand-smoke-related lung cancer. Even if you consciously choose not to smoke, breathing in the cigarette smoke from another person’s smoking habit increases your risk of developing lung cancer.
- Exposure to carcinogenic substances at work: Some industries in the United States are exposed to arsenic, asbestos, and diesel exhaust at work. If you worked in an industry where these substances are used regularly, the time it can take for lung cancer to develop could be decades.
- Exposure in your neighborhood: In neighborhoods with dense urban sprawl next to heavy-polluting factories, simply breathing the air in your neighborhood can put you at risk for lung cancer. People in lower socioeconomic areas may be more likely to be at risk for such exposure.
Mesothelioma and Lung Cancer
The American Cancer Society says that Mesothelioma can develop in the linings of the lung, heart, stomach, or other vital organs, but it is different from lung cancer. People who worked in asbestos-heavy industries before it was regulated in the 1970’s may be at an increased risk for both Mesothelioma and lung cancer. No two types of cancer are exactly alike, and the prognosis for any individual with cancer will depend on how early it is caught, how it is treated, and how aggressive that particular form of cancer is.
Asbestos Lawsuits
Although suspicions of asbestos-contaminated talcum powder is an ongoing concern, household company Johnson & Johnson only recently decided to end production of hygienic powder with talc in it, according to the Wall Street Journal. Currently, Johnson & Johnson still faces thousands of lawsuits in an effort to hold the company liable for exposing civilians to asbestos over long periods of time. Additionally, asbestos is not currently banned in the United States. Asbestos can readily be found in older construction buildings that were built before it was phased out of new construction efforts. Asbestos can be carried home on clothing, and trace amounts may cause health problems over time. This is part of why the families of former manual labor workers are now discovering that they have cancer, and that it might be linked to a long history of unknowing exposure to asbestos. If you or a loved one suffered exposure to asbestos unknowingly and developed cancer, you may be entitled to compensation from liable parties.
For a free legal consultation, call (800) 217-6099
Work with a Lung Cancer Lawyer
You should not suffer needlessly from another person’s neglectful behavior. Hold liable parties accountable for the cost of your cancer treatment, recovery, and more. Call the team at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm for a free consultation with a member of our team: (800) 217-6099.
Call or text (800) 217-6099 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
