Information on Lung Cancer
Smoking and Lung Cancer
Smoking cigarettes causes lung
cancer. Harmful substances, called carcinogens, in tobacco
damage the cells in the lungs. Over time, the damaged cells
may become cancerous. The likelihood that a smoker will develop
lung cancer is affected by the age at which smoking began,
how long the person has smoked, the number of cigarettes smoked
per day, and how deeply the smoker inhales. Stopping smoking
greatly reduces a person's risk for developing lung cancer.
The chance of developing lung cancer is increased by exposure to
secondhand tobacco smoke -- the smoke in the air when someone else
smokes. Exposure or secondhand smoke is called involuntary or passive
smoking.
Individuals who smoked and were exposed to asbestos
significantly increase their chances of obtaining lung cancer
or mesothelioma. See
our Asbestos & Smoking
and Mesothelioma section.
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