Lung Cancer Europe shared on LinkedIn:
“More than half of people diagnosed with lung cancer had little or no idea they were at risk before their diagnosis.
That figure comes from Lung Cancer Europe’s 9th Report (2024), and it is one reason lung cancer is so often found late. If you don’t think of yourself as someone who could get lung cancer, a lingering cough or breathlessness is easy to explain away.
Smoking is the biggest risk factor, but it isn’t the only one. The World Health Organization names radon, a natural gas that builds up in homes, as the second biggest cause of lung cancer.
Air pollution, exposures at work such as asbestos, silica and diesel exhaust, and a family history of lung cancer can all raise the risk too. Many of these are outside a person’s control, and some happened decades ago.
For primary care, this means risk is not always obvious at first glance. Asking about someone’s home, past jobs and family history can help build a fuller picture when symptoms don’t settle.
For everyone else: you don’t have to feel at risk to get checked. If something has changed and isn’t going away, see your doctor.
Find out more at getchecked.eu.”
You can also read: Small Cell Lung Cancer in Algeria in 2026: A Chemosensitive Disease That Leaves Little Room for Delay
