JAKARTA — Lung cancer is a very scary disease, because it has the risk of taking lives if it is late for treatment.
Quoted from Kompas.com, lung cancer is generally caused by exposure to cigarette smoke. However, people who do not smoke are also prone to developing lung cancer.
Causes of lung cancer
Lung cancer can occur due to changes or mutations of cells in the lungs. The cause of lung cancer can be influenced by several factors. Here are some of them:
1. Cigarettes
According to the American Lung Association, exposure to secondhand smoke is the leading cause of lung cancer. About 90 percent of lung cancer cases are related to smoking.
Cigarette smoke contains a variety of chemicals that can trigger lung cancer not only in active smokers, but also passive smokers.
A total of 60% of the profits from the Kompas.com Health article were distributed to residents affected by Covid-19.
In fact, people who have stopped smoking are still at risk of developing lung cancer. However, the risk is lower than active smokers.
2. Vape
Reporting from WebMD, vaping or e-cigarettes can also cause lung cancer like cigarettes.
Because vaping contains nicotine, flavoring chemicals, and various other toxic substances that are inhaled into the lungs.
3. Gas radon
Radon gas is a lung cancer-causing chemical that is difficult to see, smell, or taste.
This gas is radioactive, colorless, odorless, and naturally found in a number of areas.
This gas can emerge through the soil or small gaps between soil or rock. To detect this gas, it is recommended that you carry out periodic radon tests at home.
4. Asbestos
Asbestos is a substance that can cause lung cancer if inhaled continuously.
Asbestos is usually used as a building material, found in cars, and several other products.
When inhaled, asbestos will break down into small fibers that can get stuck, accumulate, and over time damage the lungs.
5. Air pollution
Air pollution contains harmful acids, chemicals and metals. The particle size of this air pollution is smaller than sand.
When inhaled, air pollution particles can lodge in the lungs and trigger cancer.
6. Hazardous chemicals
Hazardous chemicals such as uranium, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, nickel, to petroleum products can also trigger lung cancer.
If you are active in a place that is prone to exposure to these chemicals, make sure you use a mask or other personal protective equipment according to health and safety standards.
7. Hereditary factors
Lung cancer can also be caused by gene changes or DNA mutations related to heredity.
People with lung cancer can inherit certain DNA changes that lead to this cancer.
People who have parents or siblings with lung cancer are more at risk of developing this disease.
Lung Cancer Symptoms
After knowing the cause of lung cancer, also recognize the symptoms of this dangerous disease. Launching Mount Sinai, the characteristics of lung cancer that are often felt by sufferers include:
– Chest pain
– Cough that doesn’t go away
– Coughing up blood or blood in the phlegm
– Fatigue
– Weight loss for no apparent reason
– No appetite
– Frequent shortness of breath
Symptoms of early stage lung cancer are often not realized by the sufferer because it is just a cough.
Generally, patients only realize the signs of lung cancer once the disease gets worse and the cancer spreads to other parts of the body.
End-stage lung cancer is often accompanied by symptoms of bone pain, hoarseness until it disappears, joint pain, shoulder pain, difficulty swallowing, swollen face and arms, and weakness.
Lung cancer can be detected through a physical examination, X-ray, or CT scan of the lungs.
If you find the characteristics of lung cancer above, immediately consult a doctor. The sooner the disease is detected, lung cancer is easier to treat.
How to prevent it
Some risk factors that can increase a person’s chances of developing lung cancer, such as heredity, cannot be controlled.
However, most of the causes of lung cancer come from external factors such as exposure to cigarette smoke, vaping, radon gas, air pollution, to harmful chemicals.
To prevent this disease, you can control some of the risk factors above by quitting smoking, not being in a smoking environment, not using vaping, and minimizing exposure to air pollution as much as possible.***
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