Lung Cancer: Family History Matters

Health experts don’t recommend routine screening for lung cancer. However, see your doctor if you have a recurring cough, hoarseness lasting more than two weeks, trouble breathing, chest pain, or if you cough up blood—all could be signs of lung cancer.

Smoking causes most lung cancer, but women appear to be vulnerable to another risk factor—their genes. Women with a family member who has been diagnosed with lung cancer are nearly three times as likely to develop the disease, according to a new study. Men’s risk is nearly doubled by having a close relative with the disease.

Researchers have not found a specific gene to blame, but it seems certain inherited genetic patterns leave people more susceptible to lung cancer. Even nonsmokers face increased risk if their mother, father, or a sibling developed lung cancer.

Other causes of lung cancer include secondhand smoke and exposure to radon, an odorless, invisible gas that occurs naturally in soil and rock.

Women can increase their odds against lung cancer by avoiding cigarette smoke and other chemical pollutants, and eating a healthy diet. Vegetables, fruit, and soy may help ward off the disease. Also, green tea and fresh fish are possibly helpful, according to research.