A new study suggests that fine particles in air pollution may increase the risk of lung cancer in women who have never smoked.
According to research presented at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC), exposure to small particles of smoke from vehicles and wood burning may increase the risk of lung tumors.
Although smoking is the biggest risk factor for lung cancer, an estimated 6,000 people die from the disease each year who have never smoked.
While smoking rates are on the decline, some studies suggest that cases of the disease are increasing among young women and non-smokers.
According to a 2017 study, between 2008 and 2014 the rate of lung cancer among never smokers in the UK doubled.
Another 2023 report from the American Cancer Society found that women aged 35 to 54 are now more likely to be diagnosed with lung cancer than men of the same age.
