How can someone get lung cancer who never smoked?

Question

And why is there no treatment? My mom just told me that her neice (my cousin) is dying of lung cancer...but she never smoked a day in her life (although I believe my uncle did.) I don't really know her all that well but it still makes me very sad. She's got a little girl with a disability and two other kids as well. I just dont understand how this happened!

The town she lives in has cean air as it's a medium sized town. The doctor also only gave her a year and said there is no treatment for her.

Answer 1

This is very sad and unfortunate, sorry for this news you've received. My MIL had lung cancer and she never smoked either, neither did her husband. However some of her kids did and when they visited she never discouraged them from smoking in the house.

Also, she used to enjoy a wood stove :) and when families were over and babies needed changing she'd shove the diapers in the wood stove...she also gardened and used Purlite in the soil and with all of these combined, the doctors believed that it was the carsenagenics that were in all these things that resulted in her cancer.

Her father however died of throat cancer and this was always a severe fear she had...that she'd get cancer. She was a sweet lady. I now have a brother in law (her son) suffering from this as well.

Chemo, radiation, medications...she may be okay if they have it on time and are more aggressive than the disease is. I hope she fights this and lives a long and happy life. My MIL lived for 7 years after diagnosis, my BIL is doing well, was treated about 4 years ago and no sign of return as of yet.

Wish her the best

Answer 2

So many reasons and smoking is just one small part of the big picture. My sister-in-law never smoked a day in her life nor did her family. She developed lung cancer only after neglecting her breast cancer. Even though she had a mastectomy, it was to late, Some of those breast cancer cells found a nice cozy spot in her lungs and 5 yrs after her mastectomy, died of lung cancer. My brother died of brain and spinal cancer. No one knows how he got that. There are a lot of theories, but no one could actually pinpoint why. We all possess the cancer gene. Some are more prone to have that gene activated while others are not and both people could be living the same type life style. One may get cancer and the other won't. I guess it's a catch 22

Answer 3

Because smoking does not cause cancer. Having the genes for cancer makes you get it. All the studies ever done never conclusively link smoking and cancer, it's all circumstantial evidence. If you have gasoline and paper ready and waiting that is like the lung cancer gene. Add smoking,(a cigarette) and if it hits the right place then BOOM! there's a fire(Cancer). But think of all the poeple that smoke now and have smoked in the past that never got cancer.

Answer 4

Although smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer, it's not the only cause. Second hand smoke is another cause of lung cancer. In addition, there are other environmental factors such as radon, radiation, etc., as well as genetic disorders that lead to lung cancer. One of the reasons why lung cancer is so difficult to treat is that it's often dianosed late. By the time it is diagnosed, it has usually spread to other organs. Another reason is that many cancer cells do not respond to chemotherapy. If we try to kill all the cancer cells, we'll destroy many normal cells as well and the person will die. However, we're getting better at targeting those cancer cells and as a result, survival rate is slowly increasting. Best of luck to your cousins. I hope she's one of the lucky ones and will beat her illness.

Answer 5

Depending on where you live - bad air. I grew up in the Ohio Valley with lot's of coal fired power plants. Cancer rates are through the roof and lung cancer among non smokers is not an unusual thing.
So sorry for your situation.

Answer 6

when i went for chemo, the first cancer patient i met was a young man (19) who never smoked and had stage 4 lung cancer. at that time he had been told he had 6 months to live and had already lived a year past that and was doing ok. no one in his family smoked. he was going through a trial for a cancer drug and he believes that is what kept him alive so much longer. my prayers are with your family.

Answer 7

Secondhand smoke, Asbestos or any other airborne chemicals in the air are other methods of contracting lung cancer. Also, her genetic composition plays a key role.

Answer 8

It's mostly hidden in are DNA. Some people just get bad breaks.
I have a grandmother who is damn near 70. She is obese, diabetic, smokes 3 packs a day, and drinks like a fish.

Some people just have good genes.

How come these people all seem to be trailer trash though?

Answer 9

As mentioned, we are all exposured to plenty of carcinogens that can cause cancer (even of the lungs):

-passive/secondhand smoke
-pollution
-radon gas
-diet
-chemicals
-everyday radiation
-abestos
the list goes on and on.

In addition, some people have genetic disposition to get cancer.

Smoking greatly increases your risk because you increase your exposure to a very potent carcinogen. However, there are no gurantees when it comes to who will and will not get cancer.

Answer 10

I heard on the news the other day that smoking actually gets passed down in the genes of parents, as well as certain harm full chemicals in our air/environment. For example lead, which is getting more prevalent in our air and food, causes deformities in children. It was quite shocking to hear. Also if she was brought up in a smoking enviro. as a child, health effects can be seen later on. sorry about your situation.