The major cause of cancer deaths in men and women is lung cancer; this situation is relatively new and is mainly due to cigarette smoking. In 1876, a machine was invented to make rolled-up cigarettes and thus provided cheap tobacco products to almost everyone. At that time, lung cancer was relatively rare. Smoking dramatically increased and so did lung cancers following this innovation. Currently about 90% of all lung cancers are related to smoking. Radon gas, pol

How Does Smoking Cause Lung Cancer? Cigarettes and cigarette smoke contains over 70 cancer-causing chemicals (carcinogens). In addition, cigarette smoke damages and can kill hair-like projections on airway cells termed cilia. The cilia normally sweep out toxins, carcinogens, viruses, and bacteria. When the cilia are damaged or destroyed by smoke, all of these items may accumulate in the lungs and may cause problems such as infections or lung cancer.

For the majority of lung cancers, prevention is possible if a person never smokes and avoids second-hand smoke. For smokers who quit -- within 10 years -- the risk of getting lung cancer drops to about the same risk as if they had never smoked. Avoiding other risk factors (for example, certain chemicals or compounds like benzene or asbestos or air pollution) may also prevent some people from developing lung cancers.