What causes small cell lung cancer?

What causes small cell lung cancer? The incidence of this disease has been increasing in the past two years. Many people still don’t know what causes the disease. When they find out, they simply can’t accept it. So, let me take you to understand what causes small cell lung cancer!

It is generally believed that small cell lung cancer originates from Kulchitsky cells (argyrophilic cells) in the bronchial mucosa or glandular epithelium and belongs to APUD (amine precursor uptake decarboxylation) tumor. Some people also believe that it originates from stem cells in the bronchial mucosal epithelium that can differentiate into neuroendocrine. Small cell lung cancer is the least differentiated and most malignant type of lung cancer.

Occupational carcinogens: Confirmed occupational factors that cause human small cell lung cancer include asbestos, inorganic arsenic compounds, dichloromethyl ether, chromium and certain compounds, nickel smelting, radon and radon progeny, mustard, vinyl chloride, soot, tar and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in petroleum, heating products of tobacco, etc.

Air pollution: Air pollution includes indoor micro-environment and outdoor macro-environment pollution. For example, passive smoking, fuel combustion and carcinogens produced during cooking. Car exhaust, industrial waste gas and road asphalt in cities all contain carcinogens, the main of which is benzopyrene.

Ionizing radiation: Large doses of ionizing radiation can cause lung cancer. Different rays of radiation produce different effects. For example, Hiroshima in Japan released neutrons and gravitational rays, while Nagasaki only released gravitational rays. The former has a higher risk of small cell lung cancer than the latter.

To detect small cell lung cancer early, we need to raise awareness and strengthen lung examinations, especially those who have smoked for more than 20 years, smoke more than 20 cigarettes a day on average, and those over 40 years old with a long history of smoking, a family history of cancer, or work in toxic and harmful environments. They should go to a regular hospital for CT examination every year, which is an effective way to detect small cell lung cancer early. For those who have irritating dry cough, blood in sputum, chest pain, low fever and repeated lung infections, if they do not recover after active anti-inflammatory treatment, they should pay attention and go to the hospital for examination in time.