Air Pollution Fuels Lung Cancer Rise in India, Study Finds Smoking Not Sole Cause

• A new study reveals India's lung cancer burden is rising unevenly, with smoking not being the only factor.
• High incidence rates are observed in southern regions with low tobacco use, pointing to other causes like environmental exposures.
• Air pollution (particulate matter), biomass fuel use, and second-hand smoke are identified as major non-tobacco risk factors.
• Adenocarcinoma, a lung cancer subtype, is increasing rapidly, especially among women, despite their lower tobacco use.
• The study highlights regional disparities, underreporting of deaths, and calls for research beyond tobacco and better data collection.

Why It Matters: Lung cancer is rising in India, driven by air pollution and other non-smoking factors, necessitating urgent action beyond tobacco control.