Lung Cancer: Separating the Facts and Myths

More men and women die from lung cancer every year than any other cancer. While smoking is the biggest risk factor for lung cancer, causing 80 percent of all lung cancer deaths in women and 90 percent in men, according to the American Lung Association, even non-smokers are at risk.

According to the American Cancer Society, up to 20 percent of people who die from lung cancer have never lit up. The number one cause of lung cancer in non-smokers is exposure to radon gas, which accounts for approximately 21,000 lung cancer deaths annually, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

“Radon gas can’t be seen or smelled, so the only way to know whether it’s a problem in your home is to test for it, “says Michael Kraut, medical director of the Ascension Providence Hospital Cancer Institute.

Another major risk factor for non-smokers is secondhand smoke. About 7,000 lung cancer deaths each year are as a result of secondhand smoke, according to the ACS.

“While laws that ban smoking in most workplaces and public places have helped decrease exposure to secondhand smoke, the risk remains because those laws can’t control what happens in private places,” explains Dr. Kraut.

According to Dr. Kraut, many people don’t realize that annual lung cancer screenings are available for high-risk patients. Known as a low-dose CT scans, these scans are typically covered by insurance. “This is the only screening tool that catch lung cancer in its earliest stages, which makes it more treatable and can reduce the risk of dying."

According to the American Lung Association, this screening is underutilized, with only about 15 percent of the 8.6 million Americans eligible for the screenings aware they should be getting them.

Dr. Kraut says knowing what fact is and what is fiction when it comes to lung cancer can help save your life.

For more information about lung cancer screenings, call Ascension Providence Hospital at 248-501-3627.