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Lung Cancer From Smoking & Vaping

Among the cancer-related deaths that occur in the world, lung cancer accounts for the maximum number of deaths. So, it’s safe to say that lung cancer is one of the most destructive and damaging diseases worldwide, and out of them all, smoking is the leading cause.

As smoking rates decline in some regions, a new threat—vaping—has emerged, sparking debates about its long-term effects. Does vaping help in keeping the risks of cancer at bay? What kind of complications arise with a habit as ill as smoking?

We will take a closer look into the relationship between lung cancer and both smoking and vaping, alongside detailed insights into the mechanisms, risks, and preventive measures.

What is Lung Cancer?

Before anything, let us clarify the basics first. Lung cancer is a type of cancer in which abnormal cells start growing inside the lungs, leading to the formation of tumours. These cells quickly spread throughout the body via metastasis, making lung cancer particularly dangerous.

There are two primary types of lung cancer:

  • Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)
  • Small cell lung cancer (SCLC)

While NSCLC is the most common type of lung cancer, affecting 85% of the diagnosed patients, SCLC is a much more aggressive and advanced form of lung cancer that spreads quickly.

The primary risk factor for lung cancer is tobacco use, especially cigarette smoking. With the rise of vaping, concerns have arisen about its potential to cause similar harm. While vaping is often marketed as a safer alternative, there is growing evidence that it may pose significant risks.

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What is the Link Between Smoking and Lung Cancer?

Cigarettes contain over 7,000 different types of chemicals, many of which are carcinogenic (cancer-causing). When inhaled, these toxins damage the lungs’ delicate tissue. Over time, this prolonged damage can lead to mutations in lung cells, triggering cancerous growth.

If you want to understand the basis of lung cancer, you must understand why smoking is such an ill habit and what contributes to the formation of this deadly disease inside people’s bodies.

Some of the key carcinogens in the body include:

  • Benzene
  • Formaldehyde
  • Polonium-210
  • Nitrosamines

When you inhale these chemicals when you are smoking, you are basically:

  • Damaging the DNA of lung cells, leading to mutations.
  • Promoting inflammation, which can cause further cellular damage.
  • Compromising the immune system, making it harder for the body to repair damaged cells.

This explains why smoking accounts for the leading cause of lung cancer and why you must ditch this habit if you don’t want to develop complications.

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What are the Complications of Passive Smoking and Lung Cancer?

Many people have a common question when it comes to lung cancer wondering how passive smoking or secondhand smoking contributes to the risks of cancer.

Non-smokers who are directly or indirectly exposed to tobacco smoke face a 20-30% higher risk of developing lung cancer than those not exposed. Secondhand smoke contains nearly the same toxic chemicals found in mainstream smoke. Whether it’s at home, work, or in public spaces, prolonged exposure to passive smoke can lead to DNA damage in the lungs and increase cancer risk.

This is one of the main reasons why you must avoid being near anyone who’s smoking, especially regularly.

Is Vaping a Safer Alternative or a New Threat?

With the development of technology, new alternatives to smoking have been introduced. Among them, vaping stands out as the most common option. If you are learning about the risks of smoking and lung cancer, you have to learn about the principles of vaping, too.

What is Vaping?

Vaping involves inhaling aerosol (commonly referred to as vapour) produced by e-cigarettes or other vaping devices. These devices heat a liquid (often called “e-juice”) that contains nicotine, flavourings, and other chemicals. While vaping eliminates does lessen the harmful chemicals associated with burning tobacco, concerns about its long-term effects persist.

How does Vaping Compare with Smoking?

Among the battles between vaping and smoking, a common question that people have is wondering how the two of them compare.

While vaping is often marketed as a safer alternative to smoking, the scientific consensus is still emerging. Early studies suggest that vaping may be less harmful than traditional smoking, primarily because it doesn’t involve combustion and the associated toxins. However, this does not mean vaping is harmless.

Some of the key differences between the two include:

  • Both smoking and vaping deliver nicotine, a highly addictive substance that can harm lung health.
  • While e-cigarettes contain fewer known carcinogens than traditional cigarettes, they still expose users to potentially harmful chemicals.
  • Vaping is relatively new, and its long-term health effects, including the risk of cancer, are still being studied.

Vaping and Lung Cancer: What Does the Research Say?

It is true that compared to the decades worth of research behind smoking and lung cancer, the concept of vaping is relatively new. The research on vaping and its link to lung cancer is still in its primitive stages.

The aerosol produced by vaping devices contains several toxic substances, including formaldehyde, and heavy metals like nickel, lead, chromium and acrolein.

Additionally, vaping devices that use nicotine-based liquids can still promote the harmful effects of nicotine on lung health, including inflammation, oxidative stress, and potential DNA damage. So, just because the impacts of vaping on health aren’t as detrimental as smoking, it doesn’t mean that there aren’t any complications to begin with.

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What is Popcorn Lung?

While we are on the topic of vaping and lung cancer, we also need to understand the meaning of popcorn lung, which is a common vaping-related complication.

Also known as bronchiolitis obliterans, this condition causes the smaller airways inside the lungs to narrow, scar, and damage. This, in turn, leads to a plethora of breathing complications. This disease is associated with inhaling diacetyl, a chemical in some flavoured e-liquids.

What are the Symptoms of Lung Cancer?

If you are a chronic smoker and have been worried about developing lung cancer, the key is to remain alert about any potential complications and symptoms. Lung cancer symptoms often don’t appear until the cancer has already progressed to an advanced stage, which is why even the slightest complication requires close monitoring.

Some of the symptoms to watch out for are:

  • A persistent cough that doesn’t go away or worsens over time.
  • Coughing up blood or rust-coloured sputum.
  • Chest pain keeps getting worse with deep breathing, coughing, or laughing.
  • Hoarseness or changes in voice.
  • Unexplained weight loss or loss of appetite.
  • Shortness of breath or wheezing.
  • Fatigue or weakness

In most cases, these symptoms are pretty subtle and often feel like “normal”. However, if you smoke, have a history of lung disorders or a family history of lung cancer, you must consult a lung cancer specialist like Dr. Arvind Kumar for a thorough assessment.

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Preventing Lung Cancer: What Can Be Done?

Navigating through lung cancer can be dreadful. So, why not become proactive and take relevant steps to prevent the disease in the first place?

Since smoking and vaping are two of the leading causes of lung cancer, those are the main habits that you must address:

Quitting smoking

The single most effective way to reduce lung cancer risk is to quit smoking. While quitting can be difficult due to nicotine addiction, the benefits are substantial. Within weeks of quitting, lung function improves, and the risk of lung cancer decreases over time.

If you are already a chronic smoker and have done years of damage to the lungs already, there’s no better time to quit than now. The quicker you ditch this habit, the easier it becomes for you to embrace a better quality of life and keep the risks of lung cancer in check.

Reducing Vaping

For those who vape, particularly young people, it’s important to understand the potential risks. While vaping may be less harmful than smoking, it is not without dangers. Avoiding high-nicotine e-liquids and steering clear of unregulated or homemade vaping products can reduce harm, but quitting vaping altogether remains the safest option.

Conclusion

Both smoking and vaping pose significant risks to lung health and can increase the risk of lung cancer. So, if you are on your journey to choose a healthier version of yourself, it is time to quit the ill habit to keep the risks of cancer at bay.

Regular check-ups and a thorough assessment of your respiratory health with Dr Arvind Kumar are some of the best ways to keep the risks of deadly diseases like lung cancer in check.

Contact our team at 9773635888 or email us at arvindreena@gmail.com for more details or to schedule your consultation today!

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