
Today is World Lung Cancer Awareness Day
![]() The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Indoor Environments Division, the American College of Chest Physicians and the Forum of International Respiratory Societies offer extensive information on common causes of lung cancer.
EPA estimates radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer after smoking. Radon exposure is the cause of about 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year; about 2,900 of these deaths are people who have never smoked. Test your home’s indoor air for radon; if needed, take action to reduce the level of radon in your home. Secondhand Smoke EPA estimates that secondhand smoke causes about 3,000 lung cancer deaths in nonsmokers every year. Secondhand smoke is also a universal trigger for asthma. Children exposed to secondhand smoke can have their upper and lower respiratory tracts affected. Additionally, children exposed to secondhand smoke are at increased risk of ear infections. During 2017 in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society—
Ten to 15 percent of lung cancer cases will be diagnosed in people who have never smoked. To learn more about the causes of lung cancer in the indoor environment visit EPA, the American Lung Association and the American Cancer Society.
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