Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer death in the world for both men and women. In the United States alone, it is estimated that 163,510 people will die from lung cancer in 2005. In comparison, 127,500 people are expected to die from colon, breast and prostate cancer combined in 2005 (the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th most common cancers in the U.S.). In the U.S., there has been a striking increase in the number of women getting lung cancer; in the 1990s, lung cancer overtook breast cancer as the most common cause of cancer death amongst women.
Every smoker is at risk for lung cancer. It is estimated that 87% of all cases of lung cancer are caused by cigarette smoking. The major risk factor for lung cancer is cigarette smoking. Your risk of getting lung cancer from cigarette smoking increases the longer you smoke, the more you smoke, and the deeper you inhale. Smoking low tar cigarettes does not prevent you from getting lung cancer. Importantly, if you quit smoking, your risk of getting lung cancer declines. The longer you go without smoking, the greater your risk declines; but it is never too late to quit because your risk declines somewhat no matter how long you have been smoking. Smoking also has an affect on people around you. Second-hand smoke, or smoke inhaled when you are near someone smoking, is another risk factor for lung cancer. It is estimated that 17% of cases of lung cancer in non-smokers are caused by second-hand smoke exposure in childhood and adolescence. Non-smoking spouses of smokers are 30% more likely than spouses of non-smokers to get lung cancer. Even though many people don't inhale them, smoking pipes and cigars is a risk factor for lung cancer as well. The more pipes or cigars you smoke, the more likely you are to get lung cancer. Although it is not as well established as cigarette smoking, smoking marijuana is also a risk factor for getting lung cancer. Both the magnitude and duration of marijuana use seems to be related to your overall risk.
