Colon cancer can be life-threatening, but you may be able to sidestep this aggressive disease by taking a few precautionary steps. If you’re in a high-risk group, learn how to gain the upper hand and increase your chances of preventing colon cancer.
While lung cancer is commonly associated with people who smoke, the reality is not everyone who gets this disease lights up. Since screening for lung cancer isn’t as common for non-smokers, the disease can often progress, unchecked for quite some time. That means when diagnosis comes, it may be too late for those not considered at high risk due to a smoking habit.
There are risk factors non-smokers should be mindful of that make them more likely to contract the disease. Some of the risks non-smokers should know about include:
• Radon gas exposure – This is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. It is blamed for some 20,000 deaths each and every year. Radon gas is a naturally occurring gas in outdoor settings, but it can build up inside homes, causing a dangerous situation. Since this gas cannot be smelled or seen, it’s important for people to have their homes tested for it.
• Secondhand smoke – It is estimated this is to blame for about 3,400 death a year. People can lower their risks by staying away from others who are smoking.
• Workplace hazards – Substances such as asbestos and diesel exhaust can cause lung cancer in non-smokers.
• Air pollution – Chemicals found in the air may also be to blame for some cases of non-smoking lung cancer.
Non-smokers who find their risk factors are high should take steps to lessen or eliminate them. Signs of the disease to be mindful of include a persistent cough, chest pain, hoarseness, weight loss, shortness of breath and coughing up blood, among others.
If non-smoking lung cancer risks are of particular concern, consult your physician. There may be a need to screen for the disease, but a doctor will be best positioned to make that decision.
You Might Also Enjoy...
Colon cancer can be life-threatening, but you may be able to sidestep this aggressive disease by taking a few precautionary steps. If you’re in a high-risk group, learn how to gain the upper hand and increase your chances of preventing colon cancer.
When you catch a cold, your immune system attacks the virus that caused it. But when you have cancer, it’s not so easy. Find out how your immune system can benefit from immunotherapy and kick cancer to the curb.
Chemotherapy can be a life-saving treatment, but it also has a few side effects you may not know about, including nerve pain. Here’s how cancer drugs affect your nerves and what you can do about it.
Breast cancer affects more women in the United States than any other type of cancer except for skin cancer, according to the American Society of Clinical Oncology. Can you really lower your risk? Yes.
Struggles to get to the clinic? Trying to reduce your exposure to COVID-19, as well as other contagious illnesses, and still need to see your doctor? Telehealth is safe and easy — receive quality care from anywhere.
Leading cancer center network, Choice Cancer Care has launched its Virtual Oncology Clinic in partnership with ORA Oncology...