Why is lung cancer so prevalent among non smoking women?

Question

There is no history of second hand smoke, no exposure to TB and has never been a smoker. So, how is this possible?

Answer 1

I think asbestos and second hand smoke are big factors in lung cancer among non-smokers. Also former smokers are still at risk for lung cancer. My guess would be that there are more women who worked in environments(bars/restraurants) that had a lot of second hand smoke, and more married to smokers.

Answer 2

Second-hand smoke, radon gas (it is a natural breakdown product of the uranium which exists naturally in small amounts in the soil) and any of a variety of other air pollutants.

Other air pollutants include: smoke from rape seed oil used in oriental cooking, Sulfur dioxide from high sulfur coal (indiretcly by way of its inhibiting the removal of dust from the lung), etc, ect