A thick layer of poisonous smog is visible in Delhi and nearby cities, due to which visibility has also been reduced. Also, the Air Quality Index has gone into a hazardous category. Some schools here were already ordered to be closed. The country's capital is kept on the list of the most polluted cities in the world. Due to air pollution, it has become difficult to go out of the house and breathe, hence the risk of many respiratory diseases has arisen, but does the risk of lung cancer also increase due to air pollution? Let us know from the experts.
How does lung cancer occur?
Dr. Prashant Saxena, senior doctor of Fortis Hospital, Vasant Kunj in Delhi, has given his opinion regarding lung cancer caused by smoke. He said, 'People who smoke cigarettes have 15 to 30 percent more risk of lung cancer than non-smokers. Smoking occasionally or even once a day can cause lung cancer in many people.
Relationship between air pollution and lung cancer
Dr. Prashant said, 'Smoking is the main cause of lung cancer in both smokers and people who come in contact with it (secondhand smokers). Sometimes a patient who has never smoked or been exposed to smoke or lives in urban areas gets lung cancer. In these cases, the cause of lung cancer is a pipe, cigar, hookah, or no cause at all. Till now no study has found a direct link between air pollution and lung cancer, but our lungs are affected due to air pollution.
Symptoms of lung cancer
Dr. Prashant also said, 'Symptoms of lung cancer like not feeling well, being tired all the time, frequent cough, chest pain or heaviness in the chest, can happen even to non-smokers. You can reduce your risk of lung cancer by reducing second-hand smoking, while some factors such as personal/family history cannot be changed. People with a family history of lung cancer can get this disease due to DNA mutation.
(PC: Freepik)
