[[{"@type":["BlogPosting"],"@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/lung-cancer-differences-in-non-smokers\/#BlogPosting","@context":{"@vocab":"http:\/\/schema.org\/","kg":"http:\/\/g.co\/kg"},"url":["https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/lung-cancer-differences-in-non-smokers\/","https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/lung-cancer-differences-in-non-smokers\/"],"publisher":[{"@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/"}],"author":[{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/lung-cancer-differences-in-non-smokers\/#BlogPosting_author_Organization","name":"Regional Cancer Care Associates"}],"inLanguage":"en-US","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/lung-cancer-differences-in-non-smokers\/#BlogPosting_image_ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/RCCA-lung-cancer.jpg"}],"headline":"Lung Cancer Differences in Non-Smokers","dateModified":"2021-11-11T13:01:04+00:00","datePublished":"2019-11-07T15:15:21+00:00","description":"Lung cancer in non-smokers is more common than most people realize. Learn more by visiting Regional Cancer Care Associates online today.","articleBody":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNovember 7, 2019\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\nYou don\u2019t smoke, and you\u2019ve never smoked in your life \u2013 but you\u2019ve been diagnosed with lung cancer. How did this happen? How is it possible? It\u2019s more common than you might think, and many patients treated for lung cancer at Regional Cancer Care Associates have never smoked. Roughly 15% of all lung cancer diagnoses are made in non-smokers, and about 20% of lung cancers in women involve patients who never smoked.\nHow Lung Cancer Develops\nSmoking cigarettes damages the cells found within the lining of the lungs, so when smokers are diagnosed with lung cancer, it\u2019s usually not a surprise. The route of disease development, however, is different for non-smokers. For one, non-smokers with lung cancer may have faults within the DNA of their lung cells, which causes the cells to become abnormal, divide out of control, and form a tumor. Several risk factors also increase the non-smoker\u2019s risk for lung cancer, including:\nHuman papillomavirus (HPV)Family history of lung cancerSecondhand smoke, which is linked to about 3,000 lung cancer deaths per year in AmericansExposure to radon gas, which can be found in houses, condominiums, apartment buildings, and moreExposure to the asbestos found on several types of job sitesInhaling aerosolized oils typically used in wok cooking\nGenerally speaking, lung cancer is classified as either small cell or non-small cell. More than 50% of smokers with lung cancer are diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancers, with the most common type being squamous cell lung cancer. But non-small cell lung cancer also accounts for most cases in non-smokers. Adenocarcinoma, a different non-small cell lung cancer, is most common among patients who have never smoked. Bronchoalveolar carcinoma (BAC), a subtype of adenocarcinoma, is also common among non-smokers.\nLung Cancer Symptoms: Not Just a Cold\nRegardless of whether the patient is a past or current smoker or has never smoked, all types of lung cancer share common symptoms. The most frequently occurring symptoms include:\nHoarse voiceNew, persistent coughChest, back, or shoulder painFeeling out of breathHarsh sounds when breathingRecurring infections, like pneumonia or bronchitisCoughing up blood or finding blood in phlegm or mucus\nWhen non-smokers experience these symptoms, it\u2019s easy to blame a cold or respiratory infection at first. Unfortunately, dismissing symptoms means that lung cancer can often go undetected, allowing the disease to advance to a later stage. And, as with most types of cancer, more advanced stages are more difficult to treat. This is especially true for lung cancer, as data shows that only 14% of patients with more-advanced tumors will survive. That\u2019s why it\u2019s so important to consult with your doctor if you are experiencing any of the above symptoms, especially if they do not resolve after treatment by your physician.  \nIf you or a loved one have been diagnosed with lung cancer or have noticed its symptoms, trust your care to the oncologists at Regional Cancer Care Associates. To learn more, contact one of our 30 locations across Connecticut, Maryland, and New Jersey today.\nwe are here for you\nFor more information or to schedule an appointment, call 844-346-7222. You can also schedule an appointment by calling the RCCA location nearest you.\nRELATED ARTICLES\nRegional Cancer Care Associates is one of fewer than 200 medical practices in the country selected to participate in the Oncology Care Model (OCM); a recent Medicare initiative aimed at improving care coordination and access to and quality of care for Medicare beneficiaries undergoing chemotherapy treatment.\n\u00a9 2022 Regional Cancer Care Associates. All rights reserved.","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/lung-cancer-differences-in-non-smokers\/"},{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org","@type":"LocalBusiness","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"Corporate Office 25 Main Street, Suite 601","postalCode":"07601","addressRegion":"NJ","addressLocality":"Hackensack","addressCountry":"USA","name":"Postal Address","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/#PostalAddress"},"logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","width":"1024","height":"468","url":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/wp-content\/themes\/rccah\/dist\/images\/RCCA_logo.jpg","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/wp-content\/themes\/rccah\/dist\/images\/RCCA_logo.jpg"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/wp-content\/themes\/rccah\/dist\/images\/RCCA_logo.jpg"},"contactPoint":[{"@type":"ContactPoint","contactOption":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/contact\/#ContactPointOption","availableLanguage":"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/English_language","areaServed":["https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/New_Jersey","https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hackensack,_New_Jersey"],"contactType":"customer support","telephone":"+1 (844) 346-7222","email":"info@regionalcancercare.org","description":"Corporate Office Regional Cancer Care Associates 25 Main Street, Suite 601 Hackensack, NJ 07601 info@regionalcancercare.org Phone: (844) 346-7222","name":"Contact Corporate Office","image":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/RCCA_logo-300x137.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/contact\/","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/contact\/#CorporateOffice"},{"@type":"ContactPoint","contactOption":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/contact\/#ContactPointOption","availableLanguage":"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/English_language","areaServed":["https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/New_Jersey","https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hackensack,_New_Jersey"],"contactType":"customer support","telephone":"+1 (201) 510-0922","email":"msalvemini@regionalcancercare.org","description":"Media Inquiries: Mary Lou Salvemini Regional Cancer Care Associates Phone: (201) 510-0922 Email: msalvemini@regionalcancercare.org","name":"Contact Media Inquiries","image":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/RCCA_logo-300x137.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/contact\/","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/contact\/#MediaInquiries"}],"areaServed":["https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hackensack,_New_Jersey","https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/New_Jersey"],"additionalType":"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Treatment_of_cancer","alternateName":"RCCA","description":"Leaders in Advanced Compassionate Cancer Care. Fight cancer with leading-edge treatments, experienced skill and local caring\/convenience from one of the nation's largest networks of cancer specialists.","email":"info@regionalcancercare.org","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/","url":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/","sameAs":["https:\/\/twitter.com\/rgnlcancercare","https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/regionalcancercareassoc","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/10059183","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCFlVzU4UvZcyXBCe9ZSvAUQ"],"telephone":"+1 (844) 346-7222","name":"Regional Cancer Care Associates","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/"}],{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"News","item":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Lung Cancer Differences in Non-Smokers","item":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/lung-cancer-differences-in-non-smokers\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]