Rising lung cancer rates among non-smokers in Taiwan, driven by air pollution, highlight the urgent need for targeted screening programs worldwide.
Simar Bajaj reports for National Geographic.
In short:
- Air pollution, particularly PM2.5 particles, is a significant cause of lung cancer in non-smokers, with Taiwan's high pollution levels offering a case study in rising cancer rates.
- Taiwan's innovative screening program, tailored for non-smokers, has doubled lung cancer survival rates, showing the importance of early detection.
- The U.S. lags behind in screening, particularly for non-smokers, who now represent a growing portion of lung cancer cases.
Key quote:
“If you want to have better lung cancer control worldwide, then you need to increase the eligibility to cover the nonsmoking population—that are at high-risk,”
— Pan-Chyr Yang, pulmonologist and former National Taiwan University president
Why this matters:
As global air quality deteriorates, the line between smoker and non-smoker blurs, raising unsettling questions about what’s really in the air we breathe. Taiwan’s approach to lung cancer screening could save lives, particularly as non-smokers become increasingly vulnerable to this deadly disease. Read more: In polluted cities, reducing air pollution could lower cancer rates as much as eliminating smoking would.
