Lung cancer myths and facts
It
can be difficult to separate fact from fiction about the effects of smoking on
your lungs. Find out what's true and what's a myth.
The facts
• Lung cancer is the UK's biggest
cancer killer.
• About 35,000 people die from lung
cancer in the UK every year.
• Smoking is the single greatest
avoidable risk factor for cancer. It causes one in four of all deaths from
cancer in the UK.
• Worldwide, smoking has caused an
estimated 100 million deaths in the last century.
• Around half of all life-long smokers
will die early.
• As soon as you stop smoking, your
risk of lung cancer starts to go down. 10 years after you've stopped smoking,
your lung cancer risk is half that of someone who has continued to smoke.
• The length of time that you've smoked
is important. If you've smoked 20 a day for 40 years, your risk of lung cancer
is far higher than if you've smoked 40 a day for 20 years.
The myths
Myth 1: it’s
just a smoker’s cough
The
truth is that a persistent cough is telling you something is wrong.
Myth 2: lung
cancer is just a smoker’s disease
In
reality, one in seven cases of lung cancer are not linked with smoking.
Myth 3: the
only cause of lung cancer is smoking
Exposure
to second-hand smoke and substances such as asbestos and radon gas will
increase the risk.
Myth 4: lung
cancer is a male, working-class disease
Lung
cancer can affect anyone, and there has been a big increase in the number of
women affected.
Myth 5: only
old people get lung cancer
Most
people develop lung cancer in their 60s and 70s, after many years of smoking,
but occasionally people get lung cancer at a much younger age, even in their
20s and 30s.
Myth 6: lung
cancer is a death sentence
New
treatments have increased survival rates. If the cancer is caught early enough,
it may be curable.
How you can keep your lungs
healthy
• By keeping physically active, you
help to keep your lungs healthy. Read more about getting fit.
• It's never too late to stop smoking.
No matter how old you are, quitting can make a real difference to your health.
Here's more advice on how to stop smoking.
• If you don’t smoke, don’t start.