Air pollution behind surging lung cancer in non-smokers in India: Experts

Lung cancer is significantly on the rise among nonsmokers in India and air pollution is a major contributing factor said experts amid the continued poor air quality in the national capitalAfter eight days of severe air pollution Delhi on Thursday saw slightly improved air quality At 7 am the overall Air Quality Index AQI stood at 379 placing the city in the ldquovery poorrdquo categoryldquoWhile traditional risk factors for lung cancer include smoking cigarettes pipes or cigars exposure to secondhand smoke radon air pollution asbestos and family history are the major reasons for lung cancer in nonsmokers Longterm exposure to particulate matter can trigger mutations in lung cells leading to uncontrolled cell growthrdquo said Dr Ashish Gupta Chief of Medical Oncology at Unique Hospital Cancer Centre saidA recent study published in the Lancets eClinical Medicine Journal showed that most lung cancer patients in India are nonsmokers It is due to increased exposure to air pollutionIt also showed that lung cancer cases are also manifesting in India about 10 years earlier as compared to Western countriesldquoThe rising levels of air pollution in India have become a significant contributor to the increasing cases of lung cancer Prolonged exposure to pollutants like PM25 and toxic gases damages lung tissue and raises cancer riskrdquo Dr Rahul Bhargava Principal Director of Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplant at Fortis Memorial Research Institute told IANSImportantly Gupta said that lung cancer in nonsmokers is often different from lung cancer in smokers It usually remains asymptomatic meaning there are no initial symptoms leading to late detectionldquoThe most common type of lung cancer in nonsmokers is adenocarcinoma which usually starts in the outer areas of the lungsrdquo the doctor saidDespite the slight improvement seen in Delhi several air monitoring stations across the national capital still recorded AQI levels above 400 which is categorised as ldquosevererdquo according to the Central Pollution Control Board CPCB The agency said that Jahangirpuri and Wazirpur saw the highest readings at 437 Bawana at 419 and Ashok Vihar and Mundka registered 416The rising air pollution has also spiked several respiratory disorders like asthma and Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease COPD in the capitalldquoThe number of patients reporting breathing problems has risen by approximately 20 per cent compared to last month with most cases involving individuals with preexisting respiratory conditions exacerbated by pollutioninduced inflammationrdquo Dr Harsh Mahajan Chair of FICCIHealth and Services told IANSHe noted that while Xrays often appear normal complications can arise if bacterial or viral infections coexistChildren with their underdeveloped immune systems are especially vulnerable to persistent conditions like asthma and allergiesTo avoid further deterioration of health the experts urged the need to adopt preventive measures such as wearing N95 masks limiting outdoor activity as much as possible and using home air purifiers to improve indoor air qualityThey also advised people to closely monitor their health look for symptoms like breathlessness persistent cough or chest pain and seek immediate medical assistance if necessaryAdopting a wellbalanced diet that is rich in antioxidants and maintaining proper hydration is also important to boost the immune system and shield oneself from the longterm health impacts of air pollutionThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever