Is lung cancer an environmental disease?

[Prashant Sallan]

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hey,just confirming - is lung cancer a non infectious environmental disease?

[sam5]

it can be environmental or genetic.

It can be genetic because nasty genes that can mutate can be passed from generation to generation.

But it can also very much be environmental: with bad air quality and smoking.

Probably moreso environmental, but just remember, it is cancer, and cancer is normally thought as being a genetic disease.

[samthebear]

cancer is a bit dicey when you want to classify as 'environmental' or 'genetic' because its a combination of both. Cancer can be caused by the environment (ie: radiation which then leads to mutation which then leads to the possibility of rouge cells reproducing uncontrollably) but it is also a genetic issue where someone can develop cancer due to genetic mutations (see: breast cancer)

I suggest you pick a more clear cut example for an environmental disease.

[Prashant Sallan]

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[Kwayera]

Originally Posted by sam5

Probably moreso environmental, but just remember, it is cancer, and cancer is normally thought as being a genetic disease.

Woah woah no. Cancer risk can be exacerbated by bad genes, and obviously genes can predispose you to certain cancers, but cancer is definitely not normally thought of as a "genetic disease".

[Prashant Sallan]

Originally Posted by Kwayera

Woah woah no. Cancer risk can be exacerbated by bad genes, and obviously genes can predispose you to certain cancers, but cancer is definitely not normally thought of as a "genetic disease".

So your saying it an environmental disease? right?

[sam5]

Originally Posted by Kwayera

Woah woah no. Cancer risk can be exacerbated by bad genes, and obviously genes can predispose you to certain cancers, but cancer is definitely not normally thought of as a "genetic disease".

So u are saying that all cancers are caused by environmental impacts?

Yeah poor diet, low physical activity, genetics, radiation, air pollution, young menstruation, late menopause, no pregnancy...are all factors for cancer, but there is no one definition. And then again, u have to remember that different cancers have different risk factors.

Thus, if u really need a type of environmental disease, just do radiation poisoning, asbestosis or heat sroke. Do something that is easily classified and doesnt have as many risk factors as what cancer does.

And yes, i do bio if ur wondering.

[Prashant Sallan]

bump!