Women Who Smoke Face Up to 70% Higher Risk of Lung Cancer

The risk of developing lung cancer can be several times higher in certain individuals, thoracic surgeon and top-category oncologist Andrey Nefyodov said.

According to Nefyodov, there are three main factors that significantly raise the likelihood of lung cancer. The first is smoking, which has an especially harmful impact on women. Women’s DNA and cell structures suffer more extensive damage from tobacco, making the risk of lung cancer among female smokers 1.2 to 1.7 times higher than that of men, the specialist said in an interview with Gazeta.Ru.

Chronic Lung Diseases Multiply Cancer Risk

The oncologist noted that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) increases the probability of developing lung cancer by about four times. Similarly, interstitial lung diseases (ILD) raise the risk by 3.5 to 7.5 times. These conditions cause long-term inflammation and damage to lung tissue, which can eventually trigger malignant changes.

Nefyodov also emphasized that those who have previously suffered from tuberculosis are more than twice as likely to develop lung cancer later in life. The scarring and structural damage caused by the disease can leave residual effects that make the lungs more susceptible to tumor growth.

He urged Russians to pay attention to chronic respiratory symptoms and undergo regular medical checkups, noting that early diagnosis greatly improves treatment outcomes.