Many epidemiologic studies have found an association between ambient air pollution and lung cancer. This evidence lead the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) to report air pollution as a category 1 or definite cause of cancer. The IARC reviewed over 1000 studies from five continents and covering many different scientific fields. They concluded that air pollution is linked to increased cancer incidence, with lung cancer being the most prevalent (Pope, 2013).
Air pollution occurs when the air is contaminated by foreign substances. These substances can be liquid or solid and they are small enough that they remain suspended in the air. Some of the substances can be toxic chemicals which can include sulphur dioxide (SO2), oxides of nitrogen (NOx), ozone (O3), volatile organic compounds and suspended particulate matter (PM).
When talking about air pollution we categorize the particles with the term particulate matter (PM). Suspended particulate matter (PM) is divided into three groups based on the diameter of the particle. PM2.5 refers to particles with a diameter less that 2.5 micrometers (µm), PM10 classifies particles with a diameter between 2.5 and 10 µm, and >PM10 defines particles with a diameter greater than 10 µm. The relative risk of developing cancer as a result of exposure to air pollution is generally small, but the attributable risk (relative risk multiplied by the number of exposed people) is high. Because exposure is so high ambient air pollution
Pollution continues to pose an enormous threat to residents of urban cities worldwide. In the August 2008 Monthly Update, it is stated that approximately 800,000 deaths each year can be attributed to outdoor air pollution, making pollution the single most harmful environmental hazard to human health in urban areas (Kallman). The fact that pollution kills hundreds of thousands of people each year alone portrays just how dangerous living in these conditions can be. Kallman writes about a study which proves an increase in upper respiratory diseases, cardiovascular mortality, respiratory mortality, and low birth weights when exposed to air pollutants (August 2008: Monthly Update). These can be very serious diseases and complications which, when contracted, can lead to death or very serious illnesses. There
Lung cancer can be caused by multiple factors and many factors can work together to cause someone to have lung cancer. Besides smoking, radon, secondhand smoke, the environment and someone’s occupation can all cause lung cancer. As we already know smoking is the number one cause of lung cancer cases worldwide and over forty-three million people just in the United States smoke cigarettes. There are more than fifty chemicals in tobacco smoke that are ingested each time someone smokes. Some of these chemicals include benzene (which can be found in pesticides and gasoline), Formaldehyde (which preserve dead bodies), pesticides (which are found on lawns and gardens) and Tobacco-specific N-nitrosamines (Martin, 2012). When a person inhales the chemicals in cigarettes, they inhale thousands of poisons, toxic metals, and
Air pollution is the dispersion of particulates, biological molecules, or other harmful materials into the atmosphere, causing diseases, allergies and death to humans, damage to other living organisms such as animals and food crops or the natural or built environments (Brunekreef & Holgate, 2002; Nowak, Crane, & Stevens, 2006). Polluted air directly or indirectly may cause or be attributed to an increase in fatality or serious unwellness and decline humans state of health (Kampa & Castanas, 2008). For example, in Canada, the Ontario Medical Association has attributed 9500 premature deaths per year and evaluates increased costs of health care ($506.64 M) and missed productivity ($374.18) as a result of air pollution (Rowe, 2011). Thus, employment
The primary health issues that come with the impact of air pollution are asthma, cardiovascular illnesses and premature mortality. These health issues are due to pollution and the poor air quality such as ozone. Thus, human health becomes a concern and issue. The individuals who are usually more vulnerable to such illnesses are the children and elderly. For example, there’s approximately 162,438 children under the age of and 258,586 adults aged 65 years and older in Riverside county that are prone to environmental health illnesses (cdph). According to UCLA institute of the Environment and Sustainability,
Air pollution has been recognized as a major threat to environmental health, and the effects that it can have on the population are extremely varied. In the environmental aspects, air
One of the leading and most avoidable risk factors of lung cancer is smoking. In both males and females smoking is linked to a higher incidence of lung cancer at an increase of 23% and 13% respectively. Smoking not only increases the likelihood of lung cancer, but has shown a correlation in higher risk of other cancers such as oral, laryngeal, pharyngeal, esophageal, pancreatic, ovarian, and multiple more. As a whole,
Over decades, lung cancer globally continues to be the leading killer in both genders. In the United States, smoking is responsible for 90% lung cancer deaths in men and about 80% in women. About 15 decades ago, lung cancer was not considered as the leading killer because it was an extremely rare disease about 1% in total of cancer cases. However, by the year 1927, the percentage increased into 14%. During World War I, many soldiers and civilians started smoking to release stress. Eventually, that made the lung cancer rate and smoking addiction in the population started to increase. In a research that published in 2001, lung cancer annually kills over one million people worldwide (Witschi, 2001). The death rate, which caused by lung cancer,
Inhaling dirty air can cause throat irritation, watery eyes, burning nose, and can make it difficult to breathe. The two most detrimental common pollutants, particles and ozone, can cause respiratory problems, and aggravate cases of asthma. Certain chemicals that are toxic are released into the air, and this can cause problems like birth defects, brain and nerve damage, long-term lung injury, heart disease, cancer, and sometimes even death. Some of these pollutants travel to the upper atmosphere, which contributes to the depletion of the ozone layer. Depletion of the ozone layer is linked to higher incidences of skin cancer and cataracts. EPA’s enforcement of the programs of the CAA has made significant progress in the reduction of air pollution. This leads to a decline in air quality related ailments, and saves the lives of tens of thousands of Americans each year (Benjamin, G.C., M.D., 2011). This increase in public health would save billions of dollars in public health benefits, which far exceeds the cost of implementing these programs. Some criticism has come against the CAA, claiming that the need for reform is desperate. This line of thought insists that the CAA fails in assuming that all pollutants have “safe” levels. All recent studies, however, have shown that fine particle pollutants are not safe in any quantity. Though detrimental health effects do decline in proportion with the decline of fine
Air pollution can trigger cancer to form because it can affect your lung by inhaling different chemical substances. As with most cancer risk factors, the risk is higher the more someone is exposed to the material. It is very important that people should be mindful about the risk of air pollution. Even though air pollution is high risk for lung cancer, however; it can increase the factors of heart disease and respiratory disease. Our society should be more mindful on what we are breathing in and out. We can be exposed indoor and outside environment of air pollution, so there is no safe
Lung cancer is the leading cancer killer of men and women in the U.S. The main cause of lung cancer is smoking. (Health Risks, n.d.) Smoking weakens our body’s immune system due to the chemicals (carcinogens) that are found in cigarettes. People don’t realize how damaging these chemicals are in their bodies or maybe they do and just don’t think it will happen to them. Smoking not only causes cancer it, also causes other health issues such as heart disease, COPD, obesity and many others. The sad thing is cigarette companies know they are slowly killing people, yet they continue to advertise and sell their products. Although, this isn’t very hard for them to do with all the help they get from actors and actresses making films with them smoking. This is why kids start smoking at such a young age, because they see actors/actresses they idol doing it.
Another way of getting cancer is from air pollution. The risk of getting lung cancer is present if you live in a big city like New
Air, is one of the most substantial source to mankind and our planet. While it exists, so does everything else along. However, in today’s epidemic, there has been certain factors that have increased in understanding whether the air we breathe today is healthy or not? Is it doing more harm than we thought? In other words, the health risks against air pollution have risen in the past few decades; all from what you may ask? Well, it could be for various factors and evaluations; either environmental or materialistic. Pollution is a major public health crisis in the world. (Friis, 2012). This is one of the conflicts that contribute to various aspects of an individual’s life, whether they may realize it or not. In this paper will include the sources that cause pollution with the effects it cause as well as policies on the regulation of air pollution.
There are many kinds of air pollution. The ones I want to talk about are the ozone, acid rain, carbon monoxide and toxic air contaminants. Ozone is formed when hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxide react in sunlight.
It was one thought that lung cancer was strictly caused by lifestyle choices, but over the past years, it has been shown that lifestyle isn’t the thing that can potentially allow one to contract lung cancer. The environment along with tobacco use and genetics can also play a role in contracting lung cancer. In an industrial world, pollution has been a reoccurring problem. With emissions from vehicles and industrial power plants, air pollution and/or smog has been hovering over us. In places like China who are thriving in the industrial world, are being greatly affected by air pollution. According to Brody, “In Asia, lung cancer is alarmingly
One of the environmental changes that can cause cancer that we make on a daily basis is polluting the air. From industrial factories being used to manufacture and our commutes to work and home. “The human body can be exposed to carcinogens in the environment through many everyday situations and processes, such as breathing polluted air,...” (pg. One of "Environmental Cancer Risks." Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection). Carcinogens are exposed to the human body through the polluted air and our daily environmental changes just contribute to our exposure to this risk factor for cancer. As we continue to add more to our already polluted air through the use of factories and automobiles, we are in turn raising our risk of developing cancer because we breath in the polluted air. We are exposed to these elements through our