Lung cancer rates are increasing in nonsmoking Asian American women but declining in other groups, puzzling scientists. Over 50% of Asian American women with lung cancer have never smoked.
Studies show risk factors in Asia like indoor air pollution, cooking oil fumes, and outdoor pollution may play a role. Asian Americans experience higher air pollution exposure on average.
Two major ongoing studies at UCSF and NYU aim to identify genetic and environmental risk factors through surveys and case-control comparisons.
A NYU study found lung cancer screening detected tumors in nonsmoking Asian American women at a similar rate to the original screening trial of older white smokers.
Guidelines only cover screening for heavier smokers ages 50-80, excluding most Asian American women who get lung cancer.
Lack of diversity in past research, poor data collection on Asian Americans, and language barriers have contributed to this public health issue being overlooked.
Better understanding risk factors could improve screening guidelines and catch cancers earlier to increase treatment effectiveness.
Source: nbcnews
