IFGH 2010: Carcinoma in Non-Smokers: A Systematic Literature Review

“Lung cancer risk among non-smokers is an increasingly important issue.” As rate of lung cancer among people who have never smoked is higher than previously speculated!

In smokers, lung cancers occur about thirty times more frequently, but non-smoker cannot escape the ill fate of getting it. It’s been proven that 10-15% of non-smokers are seemed to be affected by this deadly killer.

A Retrospective Systematic Literature Review was performed using the Pubmed. 24 studies of last 6 years were chosen for inclusion in the review depending on the inclusion/exclusion criteria, content of the study. For every risk factor 2-4 studies were selected. All subjects-(2,743,241)-were <40-60+-years. 26757(1%) Lung cancer cases, 8087(30.2%) non-smokers. 2639 (9.9%) Non-smokers with Lung Cancer risk.

Adenocarcinoma was predominant in female non-smokers, with low ETS* effects.  Although risk factors play a role in lung pathogenesis but most of them contradict each other in the way they are linked.

Smoking and non-smoking lung cancer sufferers are different in etiology, performance and in their response to different risk factors. It’s difficult to establish conclusive evidence. In-depth insight is necessary into the patho-genetic mechanisms that link to these risk factors and further proofs for an epidemiological/biologic disparity in lung cancer between smokers and non-smokers.

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• Carcinoma in non-smokers:a systematic literature review (2.31 MB)