Lung Cancer and Risk Factors

 

An experienced radiation oncologist, Dr. Marta Dahiya treats patients with lung and other cancers through John Peter Smith Cancer Center in Fort Worth, Texas. A provider active in her broader professional community, Dr. Marta Dahiya belongs to the American Society of Radiation Oncology and the American Board of Radiology.

When patients develop lung cancer, it means that the cells that make up one or more lung tissues have begun to divide without check, growing ultimately into tumors that can impede lung function and spread to other organ systems. In the United States, lung cancer ranks as the top killer among all cancers, and it is second only to breast cancer in terms of frequency.

People who smoke have a much higher risk of developing lung cancer than non-smokers. In fact, cigarettes are so potent a carcinogen, that even smoking lightly or intermittently raises cancer risk. Other environmental factors that can lead to lung cancer include exposure to radon, an invisible and odorless radioactive gas naturally emitted by the Earth.