Lung cancer is no longer a smokers-only disease. Government data from the ICMR–National Cancer Registry Programme show a steady rise in lung cancer cases among non-smoking women in India’s metropolitan cities, marking a clear epidemiological shift. Between 1982 and 2016, urban centers recorded significant increases, with adenocarcinoma now accounting for ~53% of lung cancers in women, making it the most common subtype among non-smokers. Pulmonary and oncology specialists note that while smokers once made up 80–90% of lung cancer cases, non-smokers now represent 15–20% globally, with India showing an even higher proportion.
Key risk factors highlighted include diesel and kerosene emissions, biomass fuel exposure, second-hand smoke, and overall urban air pollution, rather than tobacco alone. Clinicians also flag a major diagnostic challenge: symptom overlap with tuberculosis. Chronic…
