Lung Cancer

Lung cancer can happen to anyone, regardless of their age or smoking status. But some people, especially people who smoke tobacco, are at a higher risk for the disease. 

It’s important to have a clear understanding of: 

• What risk factors are and  
• What your personal risk is 

These give you the information you need to do to protect your health and lower your lifetime risk of lung cancer. 

Your doctor will be a part of the conversation, too. Speaking with them about your health history, including smoking, will be important for monitoring you every year.  

What is My Risk of Lung Cancer?

Together, you and your doctor can assess your individual lung cancer risk. There are many factors to consider to determine your level of risk.  

But there are many tools online that can help you on your own. They give an estimate and can’t replace your doctor’s advice. 

As a starting point, one tool we recommend is Your Disease Risk. Siteman developed it to give people more useful, trusted information.   

Who is at Risk for Lung Cancer?

There are several common risk factors for lung cancer including: 

• Smoking tobacco in any form like cigarettes, cigars, and pipes.   
• Having a history of smoking, even if you’ve quit 
• Secondhand smoke exposure (Living or having frequent contact with someone who smokes) 
• Working in an environment where people smoke 
• Having other relatives with lung cancer 
• Exposure to radon, chromium, nickel, soot, tar or arsenic 
• Exposure to heavy air pollution 
• Infection with HIV 
• Undergoing radiation therapy to the chest or breast 

How Can I Lower My Risk of Lung Cancer?  

Even if you are at a higher risk for lung cancer, there are a few steps you can take to lower your risk for lung cancer.  

Quit smoking

Lungs are resilient parts of the body. After you quit smoking, they begin to heal. Even years of smoking can start to repair. Studies indicate it isn’t just long-term benefits. Quitting smoking can have a big impact soon and can improve lung function in several weeks or months. Your risk drops by about 50% ten years after quitting. This is why quitting at any age provides significant benefits. 

Can Siteman help me quit? 

Yes. Smoking impacts how effective cancer treatments are, so we encourage every patient who smokes to stop.     

We understand that quitting isn’t easy. Siteman leads the Smoking Cessation Program to support patients who are trying to stop the habit. We take participants’ struggles seriously and meet them with scientifically proven ways to quit so they have a better chance to succeed and suffer less from withdrawal. 

Plus, there are habits you can adopt to live a healthier life and lower your risk of several cancers.  Learn more about healthy habits that reduce your cancer risk. 

Get a low-dose CT screening

Lung cancer screenings are helpful in finding lung cancer at its earliest stages, even before it causes symptoms. These screenings are a low-dose CT scan. They create a 3-D image of the lung and can show abnormal growths or lesions before they appear in an X-ray.  

Screenings for lung cancer need a doctor’s referral, so we recommend you talk to them about your risk factors and concerns.  If you are eligible, you can get a screening each year. 

You should consider screening if you: 

• Are 50-80 years old
• Have a 20 pack-year smoking history (one pack per day for 20 years, or equivalent) 
• Currently smoke   
• Quit smoking within the past 15 years 

Screening saves lives: Low-dose CT screening can reduce lung cancer deaths by 20% in high-risk individuals.

Test your home for radon

Radon is a radioactive gas that seeps into homes from the ground. It’s the second leading cause of lung cancer and the leading cause among nonsmokers. 

How to check your home:  

• Buy a radon test kit. They are sold in hardware stores 
• If levels are high, hire a certified radon mitigation contractor 
• Note: these systems can be expensive, but effective 

Limit and protect yourself from workplace exposures

Some jobs require you to work with asbestos, diesel exhaust, or other carcinogens. To limit how these impact your health: 

• Follow all safety protocols and use protective equipment 
• Don’t eat or smoke in work areas where chemicals are present 
• Shower and change clothes before going home 
• Talk to your doctor about lung cancer screening