Why do people who never smoke develop lung cancer?

Why do people who never smoke develop lung cancer?

Jay M. Lee (Surgical Director, Thoracic Oncology Program, UCLA) gives expert video advice on: Does the age I started smoking affect the odds I will develop lung cancer?; Does the amount I smoke affect your odds of developing lung cancer?; Why do people who never smoke develop lung cancer? and more...

Non smokers develop lung cancer because there are other causes for lung cancer. The number two cause for lung cancer is radon exposure and radon is a radioactive gas that's found in the soil and in the rocks. It's a gas that is tasteless or odourless and it often percolates into homes and buildings from the soil itself. There are other causes for lung cancer, including chronic lung diseases such as tuberculosis which has been associated with lung cancer development. And finally, work-related exposure to carcinogens, such as asbestos exposure, can increase lung cancer.