Causes of non-small cell lung cancer

Non-small cell lung cancer is also a type of lung cancer and one of the most common diseases. The trend in recent years has been on the rise, causing great harm to humans. There are many causes of lung cancer, but most of them are caused by long-term smoking. Let’s take a look at them below.

Non-small cell lung cancer causes

1. Smoking

Smoking is the main cause of lung cancer. Tobacco contains more than 3,000 chemicals with strong carcinogenic activity.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and nitrosamines can cause DNA damage in bronchial epithelial cells through a variety of mechanisms, leading to the activation of oncogenes (such as Ras genes) and the inactivation of tumor suppressor genes (such as p53, FHIT genes, etc.), thereby causing cell transformation and ultimately cancer.

2. Occupational and environmental exposure

Lung cancer is the most important type of occupational cancer. It is estimated that about 10% of lung cancer patients have a history of environmental and occupational exposure.

Long-term exposure to substances such as beryllium, cadmium, silicon, formalin, etc. can also increase the incidence of lung cancer, as can air pollution, especially industrial waste gas.

3. Ionizing radiation

The lungs are an organ that is relatively sensitive to radiation. The number of people suffering from lung cancer among the survivors of the atomic bomb explosion in Japan has increased significantly.

4. Previous chronic lung infection

In patients with pulmonary tuberculosis, bronchiectasis, etc., the bronchial epithelium may metaplasia into squamous epithelium and cause cancer during chronic infection, but this is relatively rare.

5. Genetic factors

Familial clustering, reduced immune function, and endocrine dysfunction may also play an important role in the occurrence of lung cancer. Genetic factors may play an important role in populations and/or individuals who are susceptible to environmental carcinogens.

6. Air pollution

The high incidence of lung cancer in developed countries is mainly due to the pollution of the atmosphere by harmful substances such as benzopyrene carcinogenic hydrocarbons produced by the combustion of oil, coal and internal combustion engines and asphalt road dust in industrial and transportation-developed areas. Air pollution and smoking may promote each other and play a synergistic role in the incidence of lung cancer.