Lung cancer in nonsmokers in India is a significant health concern, often attributed to factors such as air pollution, indoor pollutants, and genetic predispositions. The country's rapid urbanisation and industrialisation have led to increased exposure to harmful substances, making the reduction of risk a priority. New Delhi: According to a study published in the Lancet Regional Health Southeast Asia Journal, a large chunk of lung cancer patients in India are people who do not smoke.
The research also stated that the nature of these are different as compared to what is reported in Asia and the West. A great deal of the cases are influenced by environmental and genetic factors. Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the world.
Smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke is a leading cause of the same. However, the study by doctors from Tata Memorial Centre in Mumbai, said that the causes are not just limited to tobacco use. Researchers said that the genetic makeup of lung cancer is India is affected by the diversity of its people.
In 2020, India had the second-highest number of cases of this disease – 72510 casws and 66279 deaths. How to reduce lung cancer risk in non-smokers? In an interaction with News9Live, Dr. Anil Thakwani, Consultant and Senior oncologist at Sharda Hospital, explained the causes of lung cancer in non smokers in India.
“Lung cancer in nonsmokers in India is a significant health concern, often attributed to factors such as air pollution, indoor pollutants, and genetic predispositions. The country’s rapid urbanisation and industrialisation have led to increased exposure to harmful substances, making the reduction of risk a priority,” said Dr Thakwani. Dr Thakwani also listed some simple techniques to reduce disease risk in Indians.
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