While lung cancer is strongly associated with tobacco smoking, lung cancer in never-smokers (LCINS) accounts for an estimated 10-25% of all lung cancer diagnoses. The widely accepted definition of a ‘never-smoker’ is an individual who has smoked fewer than 100 cigarettes in their lifetime. Like many illnesses, LCINS does not have one single cause but is influenced by many factors, including family history of lung cancer, asthma and exposure to air pollution. This project will use the UK Biobank data to analyse the incidence of non-smoking-related lung cancer in the UK, and look for links between factors such as gender, ethnicity, lifestyle, cardio-respiratory fitness and exposure to air pollution.
Women of South Asian background are identified as the group most likely to develop LCINS, though it is important to note that most of this research has been carried out in low- and middle-income countries and focuses on issues such as the use of solid fuels for cooking and heating, or the use of polluting cookstoves and open fires within the home. These fuel sources increase the level of household air pollution that women are exposed to, which will affect their risk of developing many illnesses including LCINS. There has been little research on this subject in high-income countries where gas and electricity are more prevalent for cooking and heating.
To date there has been no in-depth study of the incidence of LCINS in the UK, and the breakdown of age, gender and ethnicity, as well as other demographic factors of UK patients, has not been examined.
By examining UK diagnoses of LCINS by age, gender and ethnicity, this study will help improve our understanding of how LCINS is expressed in the UK population. The evidence will inform current policy debates and decision-making on the prevention of LCINS in vulnerable communities.
