World Lung Cancer Day 2025 — Air Pollution Is Now As Dangerous As Smoking

{Dr Shona Nag}

When we think about lung cancer, the first thought that usually comes to mind is smoking. That connection has been drilled into public awareness for decades and rightly so. Smoking has long been the primary cause of lung cancer. But what happens when people who have never touched a cigarette are diagnosed with the same disease? It is a question that has puzzled many and researchers in recent years. The answer, though not entirely surprising, is still deeply concerning—air pollution.

Take a moment and think about the air you breathe every day. For those living in cities, it is often a mix of vehicle fumes, dust from construction, smoke from burning waste, and emissions from factories. This toxic cocktail contains tiny particles known as PM2.5, which are so small that they can pass straight through your nose and throat, settling deep in your lungs. Once inside, they cause irritation, inflammation, and over time, can damage the cells enough to turn them cancerous.

International health bodies, including the World Health Organisation, now recognise polluted air as a proven cause of cancer. To put it plainly, breathing in dirty air daily is now considered as dangerous as smoking. Some recent studies estimate that air pollution is responsible for hundreds of thousands of lung cancer deaths globally each year. India, unfortunately, is one of the hardest-hit countries, with several of its cities regularly topping the charts for the worst air quality

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The Hidden Risks Lurking Indoors

Now, here’s where it gets more worrying the damage from polluted air is slow and silent. Unlike smoking, where the individual is aware of the risk and the habit, air pollution does not give such clear warning signs. You cannot see the fine particles floating around. You often cannot smell them. But your lungs take them in just the same. Over months and years, that exposure adds up. Eventually, for some people, it results in a cancer diagnosis that seems to come out of nowhere.

And it is not just the air outside that’s harmful. Inside our homes, especially in places where people cook with firewood, coal, or kerosene, the air can be equally toxic. This type of indoor air pollution is a hidden risk in many rural homes and even in urban areas where traditional cooking methods are still used. The people most exposed to this are often women, who spend more time in kitchens, inhaling the smoke day after day.

Genetic Factors And What Needs To Be Done

There’s also a genetic piece to this puzzle. Some individuals carry certain genes that make them more likely to develop lung cancer, even with limited exposure to harmful substances. For instance, changes in a gene called EGFR have been linked to lung cancer in non-smokers. While air pollution might not directly cause this change, it can worsen the risk and help push the body toward disease.

So, what can be done? On a personal level, small changes can make a difference like using cleaner cooking fuel, improving ventilation, using air purifiers at home, and avoiding going outside when pollution levels are high. But honestly, this is a much bigger issue than any individual can solve alone. We need governments, and industries to step up and take responsibility. That means stricter pollution control, better public transport, cleaner energy sources, and a clear focus on making our air breathable again.

To wrap it up, lung cancer is not just a smoker’s disease anymore. The air we breathe has become a risk in itself, and ignoring that fact will only make things worse. Clean air is something every person deserves not just for comfort, but for basic health and survival. It’s time we take this seriously, before more lives are silently claimed by something we all share the air around us.

The author, Dr Shona Nag, is the Senior Medical Oncologist and Director Oncology Department, at Sahyadri Super Speciality Hospital, Pune.

[Disclaimer: The information provided in the article, including treatment suggestions shared by doctors, is intended for general informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.]

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