Date Published: 11/20/2007 [Source]
Lung cancer is the second most common type of cancer diagnosed in the U.S. and the leading cause of cancer death. A leading risk factor for lung cancer is cigarette smoking.A leading risk factor for lung cancer is cigarette smoking. Researchers estimate about 87 percent of lung cancers can be attributed to smoking. Nonsmokers who live with a smoker have a 20 to 30 percent increased risk for lung cancer due to second hand tobacco smoke.
Another important risk factor for lung cancer is radon exposure. Radon is an odorless gas that forms from decaying uranium deposits in the soil and rocks. Experts say radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the general population and the leading cause of cancer in nonsmokers.