Lung Cancer Risk Factors and Prevention

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Smoking is a major risk factor for lung cancer, but there are other factors that can increase your chances of developing lung cancer.

Exposure to secondhand smoke, radon gas and other toxic substances can increase your risk. While not as common, some people may also have inherited a gene that puts them at higher risk of developing the disease.

Take Charge of Your Health

Talk to your primary care provider if you have symptoms that you think may be lung cancer. UW Medicine Primary Care can help you get started with screening. Learn about Fred Hutch's relationship with UW Medicine. 

Genetic and Biological Risk Factors for Lung Cancer

Having genetic and biological risk factors for lung cancer doesn’t mean you will get the disease. However, knowing about your level of risk allows you to make informed decisions about your health and gives your physician better information that they can use to help you prevent lung cancer — or if you do develop the disease, it can be detected earlier, when it is in its most treatable stage.

Here is what you need to know: 

  • While the vast majority of lung cancers are not known to be hereditary, if a biological parent, sibling or a child has had lung cancer, it may increase your chances of developing it.
  • Changes in certain genes, like the EGFR gene, can increase the risk of lung cancer. The EGFR gene helps control how cells grow, but when it doesn’t work properly, it can lead to cancer. Acquired (somatic) mutations in EGFR in lung cancer are more common (and do not get passed down to the next generation) than inherited mutations in EGFR.
  • Your risk of developing lung cancer increases as you get older, particularly if you are over age 65.

Learn more about Genetic Counseling and Testing at Fred Hutch.

Lifestyle Risk Factors for Lung Cancer 

Unlike genetic and biological factors that put you at risk for lung cancer, lifestyle risk factors are ones you have the potential to change. Here are some of the steps you can take to decrease your risk of lung cancer:

  • Stop smoking and avoid breathing in secondhand smoke
  • Reduce your exposure to radon gas
  • Avoid toxic workplace substances such as asbestos

Lung Cancer Early Detection and Prevention Clinic

The Lung Cancer Early Detection and Prevention Clinic (LCEDPC) at Fred Hutch Cancer Center works with patients who have tests that show lung abnormalities. These include lung nodules (spots) found in routine imaging — like chest X-rays or computed tomography (CT) scans — or in lung cancer screening CTs. Up to 25% of patients may have abnormalities found through lung imaging, however, most of these patients do not have lung cancer.

If your tests show you have lung cancer, we will guide you through the diagnosis and treatment process. The best success against lung cancer is early diagnosis and treatment, when survival rates can be greater than 80%.

Clinic Overview

The LCEDPC team has expertise managing lung nodules and other abnormalities. For patients who have lung nodules, we provide multidisciplinary guidance and access to the latest technology for screening and diagnosis with advanced bronchoscopy techniques (inserting a tube through your nose or mouth), including endobronchial ultrasound-guided biopsy (EBUS) and electromagnetic navigational bronchoscopy.

For patients at high risk of lung cancer, we also offer lung cancer screening using state-of-the-art imaging technologies based on the latest national guidelines. During your visit, you will meet with our dedicated providers, who will help make the best prevention plan for you. And, if appropriate, we can call on other medical specialists from throughout Fred Hutch to offer their expertise surrounding your prevention plan.

Patients We See

We work with people who have been referred to us by their primary care provider (PCP) or by another medical provider — often from within Fred Hutch, UW Medicine or other medical systems in the Seattle area. If you believe you may be at high risk, you can also contact us directly. 

You may want to schedule an appointment with LCEDPC if:

  • You have recently been told that you have a pulmonary nodule, a lung mass or enlarged lymph nodes around your lungs, which might be signs of lung cancer or another disease
  • You have been told that you may qualify for lung cancer screening and would like to discuss this with an expert in lung cancer
  • You would like to discuss your risk of lung cancer and what you can do to prevent it
  • You had a lung cancer screening CT that shows abnormalities

If You Have a Pulmonary Nodule

Most patients who visit our clinic have what is known as a pulmonary nodule — a small, round growth on the lung. Most pulmonary nodules are too small (less than one centimeter across) to be diagnosed safely and accurately using any of the procedures or tests currently available.

Because these very small pulmonary nodules might mean early lung cancer, they need to be watched closely, using CT scans, to see whether they grow over time. If the size of these nodules doesn’t change for two years, the chance that they are lung cancer is very small.

If a repeat scan shows that the nodule is growing, we might schedule you for a type of imaging test called a positron emission tomography (PET) scan and/or take a sample (biopsy) of the nodule to check for cancer cells.

Your First Appointment

Before your visit, a pulmonologist (physician who specializes in lung conditions) and a chest radiologist will review your medical records, including X-rays or imaging scans, if you have been diagnosed with a pulmonary nodule or another abnormality that might be a sign of lung cancer.

At your appointment, you’ll meet with members of our clinic team, including a pulmonologist. We’ll discuss your results and work with you to build a personalized prevention plan. Your appointment will last about one to two hours.

What is Included in My Personalized Prevention Plan?

  • Strategies to lower your lung cancer risk
  • Information about clinical trials you are eligible to participate in through Fred Hutch and our partners at UW Medicine
  • Schedules for when you should have imaging and/or diagnostic tests

Personalized Prevention Plan Examples

Here are some examples of strategies that may be part of your personalized prevention plan.

To monitor for lung cancer:

  • Regular low-dose computed tomography (CT) scans

If you need a biopsy:

  • Navigational bronchoscopy
  • Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS)
  • Needle biopsy

If you need help quitting tobacco:

If Your Screening Does Not Have Findings Related to Lung Cancer

If we make a diagnosis other than lung cancer, we may refer you back to your primary care provider for treatment; our Living Tobacco-Free Services program for help with quitting smoking; or surveillance (ongoing monitoring) at the Lung Cancer Early Detection and Prevention Clinic. You may also be able to participate in lung cancer early-detection studies and help us discover better ways to find lung cancer earlier.

If Your Screening Has Finding Related to Lung Cancer

If your screening has an abnormality, we will decide the best approach to determine if you have lung cancer and quickly diagnose and stage the disease. Then you can move on to planning your lung cancer treatment with Fred Hutch’s team of world-class physicians, including specialists in pulmonary medicine, thoracic surgery, medical oncology and radiation oncology. You will have access to the full spectrum of lung cancer treatment options, including innovative therapies available in clinical studies.

Contact Us

Lung Cancer Early Detection and Prevention Clinic (LCEDPC)
Phone: 206.606.6125
Hours: Monday – Friday, 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Fax: 206.606.6135

Our team of lung cancer prevention specialists includes pulmonologists, chest radiologists, chest surgeons and other experts. They are all here to help you stay as healthy as possible and help you prevent lung cancer or detect it early, when it is in its most treatable stage.

Living Tobacco-Free Services

Deciding to quit tobacco is an important first step towards better health. But quitting for good can be hard without support. At Fred Hutch’s Living Tobacco-Free Services, our experienced tobacco cessation (quitting) specialists first listen to understand the unique challenges you face when it comes to quitting. Then, we work with you to find the right combination of support and resources you need to achieve your goal.

Contact Us

Living Tobacco-Free Services
Phone: 206.606.7517

We can meet with you in person or virtually, whichever you prefer. This service is provided to all current Fred Hutch patients, caregivers and family members.

Learn More About Living Tobacco-Free Services

Lung Cancer Risk Factors and Prevention FAQ

Being physically active and maintaining a healthy weight are good ways to protect your lungs. Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can help support your overall health, too. Most importantly, avoid smoking and reduce your exposure to harmful substances like secondhand smoke and radon.

Smoking is the cause of more than 80% of lung cancers, and it increases the risk of more than a dozen other cancers, including cancers of the mouth, larynx (voice box), pharynx (upper throat), nose and sinuses, esophagus (food pipe), liver, pancreas, stomach, kidney, bladder, cervix and bowel, as well as one type of ovarian cancer and some types of leukemia. There is also some evidence that smoking could increase the risk of breast cancer. Smokeless tobacco causes oral cancer, esophageal cancer and pancreatic cancer.

There is some research suggesting that medications that reduce inflammation might lower the risk for certain types of cancer. But research has not confirmed this is the case with lung cancer. Before taking any over-the-counter medication to help prevent lung cancer, talk to your provider.

While a balanced diet including fruits and vegetables may be beneficial to cancer prevention and overall health, we do not recommend supplements specifically for lung cancer prevention. In fact, a study performed at Fred Hutch demonstrated that two forms of vitamin A may increase the risk of lung cancer in people who smoke. Maintaining a healthy diet and weight do protect against cancer in general.

If lung cancer runs in your family, you might consider genetic testing. This can identify gene changes (mutations) that can increase your risk. A genetic counselor can guide you through the process and, if you decide to be tested, meet with you to help you understand your results.

People who have been diagnosed with HIV may have a higher risk of lung cancer, though smoking remains the leading cause. This is likely due to residual inflammation in people with HIV, even those who have an undetectable viral load. Regular check-ups and doing what you can to stay as healthy as possible, like quitting smoking, can help reduce your risk.