Aanchal Mishra
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Written By: Aanchal Mishra | Updated : September 2, 2024 7:44 PM IST
Climate Change And Lung Cancer (Photo: Freepik)
Lung Cancer In Non-smokers: A recent report by The Lancet under the title 'Lung cancer in Asia: the impact of climate change' highlights the growing number of lung cancer in non-smokers. The study is a testimony to the already catastrophic impact of climate crisis the world is witnessing. Numerous conferences and events are organized to address the challenge of climate crises that costs a huge lump of money. However, only a few challenges are given priority and effective measures. Rising pollution in cities is a sheer sight of climate change and its adverse effect. However, it is still not given the prominence it deserves and demands.
Climate change is impacting now the global health sector with a rising number of cases of lung cancer among non-smokers. Pollution is listed as the major cause of lung cancer in non-smokers. According to the Union for cancer control, almost half of the lung cancer cases among non-smokers are a result of air pollution. Outdoor pollution, forest fires, industry pollution, pollution coming from vehicles are some of the major sources of air pollution. The world health organization says that almost 99 per cent of the world population is breathing toxic air.
Exposure to air pollution in people who are already diagnosed with lung cancer increases the risk of death due to lung cancer. The report highlights the severity of wait time a lung cancer patient has to go under with delay in diagnosis and prognosis. The Lancet report underscores the importance of creating more awareness about lung cancer in non-smokers, highlighting its asymptomatic nature in the beginning.
Cancer is caused by a change or damage in the cell's DNA, leading to its abnormal and uncontrollable growth. Cancer can occur in any part of the human body. Studies suggest that air pollution can trigger cell mutation and can cause non-small cell lung cancer in non-smokers. Lung cancer in non-smokers show up generally the same symptoms that occur in other lung cancer patients.
The Lancet report pressingly brings back the attention to the wretched effects of climate change, noting that cyclones, tsunamis and more climate crisis destroy the healthcare system and disrupts transportation, leading to many loopholes in the already weak healthcare system in some countries of Asia, including India.
