Montreal General Hospital and Shaanxi Lung Cancer Research Institute Clinical Center's Vice President Qiao Xiatong explained that after Peng Fengfei was diagnosed with lung cancer, her son-in-law was also found to have the disease. This similarity in the couple’s fate has left many netizens puzzled: Is lung cancer contagious? Professor Qiao Xiatong from the Chest Department of the Guangzhou Military Region General Hospital and the Shaanxi Lung Cancer Research Institute Clinical Center stated that lung cancer is not contagious. The reason why lung cancer sometimes appears as a "couple's cancer" could be related to similar living environments and habits. However, "couple's cancer" is merely a common clinical phenomenon and does not indicate any specific causal relationship.
Three groups of people should be highly vigilant about lung cancer. Why do some cancers appear clustered within families or among relatives? Professor Qiao Xiatong explained that the occurrence of cancer is usually due to the interaction of internal and external factors. If certain mechanisms in the body malfunction when exposed to toxic or harmful environments, it becomes easier to develop cancer. Genetics is not necessarily a determining factor; for example, both Feng Fei and her brother developed cancer, referred to as "sibling cancer," possibly due to their shared familial genetic background. Although not all family members will necessarily develop lung cancer, the probability of developing cancer for family members is much higher than for the general population.
In terms of environmental factors and lifestyle habits, such as renovation pollution and kitchen fumes, these are significant risk factors for the development of lung cancer. The occurrence of "couple's cancer" might also be due to prolonged exposure to similar living environments and habits. Professor Qiao Xiatong further noted that being in a stressful atmosphere at home, having strained or disharmonious marital relationships, can also be a triggering condition for "couple's cancer." Persistent negative emotions can activate potential carcinogenic factors within the body, leading to the onset of cancer.
So, who should be vigilant about lung cancer? For men over 50 who smoke, they are likely part of a high-risk group for lung cancer. Even if their wives don't need excessive worry, their children should still be quite cautious. Individuals with a family history of lung cancer should especially avoid harmful environments and unhealthy habits to prevent the onset of lung cancer. Additionally, patients with chronic lung diseases such as chronic bronchitis, pneumoconiosis, and tuberculosis are two to four times more likely to develop lung cancer than ordinary individuals.
Non-smokers and women see an increase in lung cancer incidence. To prevent lung cancer, smoking control is very necessary. However, just because lung cancer occurs more frequently in smokers, non-smokers, especially women, should not neglect the possibility of lung cancer. Professor Qiao Xiatong pointed out that with the success of smoking control in Eastern countries, there has been a new trend in recent years: while fewer people smoke, the incidence of lung cancer in non-smokers, particularly women, has been increasing.
"The impact of environmental factors is becoming increasingly significant, such as car exhaust, agricultural emissions, and the recently discussed PM2.5 causing a sharp decline in air quality. These may increase the incidence of lung cancer," said Professor Qiao Xiatong. Statistics from 1979 to 1998 showed that female lung cancer accounted for 37% of all lung cancer cases. In the past decade, this proportion has continued to rise, possibly due to prolonged exposure to secondhand smoke, kitchen fumes, and air pollution. At the same time, the increase in adenocarcinoma serves as an important warning for women, as "most female lung cancers are adenocarcinomas, which account for almost half of all lung cancers. Recently, even women in their thirties and forties are increasingly diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma."
Early detection of lung cancer relies on physical examinations. Lung cancer is the most prevalent cancer globally and also the one with the highest mortality rate. According to statistics, ten years ago, 200,000 people in our country died from lung cancer annually. Based on the current growth rate of lung cancer incidence, by 2030, 2 to 3 million people in our country may die from lung cancer each year. Why is the survival rate of lung cancer so low? Because 80% of lung cancer cases are detected in the late stages, where the tumor has not only affected the lungs but has also spread throughout the body. Without proper treatment, the average life expectancy for late-stage patients is only about eight months.
Professor Qiao Xiatong emphasized that conventional physical examinations are the only way to detect lung cancer early. For younger individuals, an annual chest X-ray can detect lung cancer larger than 1 cm; for high-risk groups, an annual low-dose chest CT scan is recommended, which can detect lung cancer as small as 0.5-1 cm.
It is important to note that once a tumor is detected, active and regular treatment should be sought. Some people, due to personal or professional reasons, refuse to acknowledge the fact that they have lung cancer or distrust modern medicine and instead seek help from so-called "masters" and their mysterious remedies, thereby missing the best opportunity for treatment.
(Responsible Editor: Wang Huiliang)