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Smoke signals: new roots of lung cancer

When we talk about lung cancer, we instinctively think of tobacco products. But the next time you start your vehicle, think about the cancer-causing substances spewing from that exhaust pipe poisoning our air.
Zeminak, Rick 191007jer
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When we talk about lung cancer, we instinctively think of tobacco products. But the next time you start your vehicle, think about the cancer-causing substances spewing from that exhaust pipe poisoning our air.

We have been so preoccupied policing tobacco smoking as the chief culprit behind lung cancer that we’re missing the bus on a far-worse enemy — air pollution — according to the World Health Organization’s cancer agency. Air pollution was recently identified by WHO as the leading cause of lung cancer today. Not tobacco smoke, but the air we breathe when we step outside.

“We consider this (air pollution) to be the most important environmental carcinogen, more so than passive smoking,” said Kurt Straif, head of WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which examines and monitors what goes into the atmosphere.

“The air we breathe is laced with cancer-causing substances and is being officially classified as carcinogenic to humans,” according to WHO’s cancer agency.

“Our conclusion is that this (air pollution) is a leading environmental cause of cancer deaths,” added Dr. Christopher Wild, director of the IARC.

According to the research group, the risk of today’s air pollution is akin to breathing in second-hand smoke.

The agency’s deputy head, Dana Loomis, said: “Our task was to evaluate the air everyone breathes rather than focus on specific air pollutants. The results from the reviewed studies point in the same direction: the risk of developing lung cancer is significantly increased in people exposed to air pollution.”

Mostly caused by power generation, transport, industrial emissions — and also agricultural emissions, and heating and cooking in your home — air pollution on a broader scope has been sadly ignored. Society in general is poisoning the air, far more than smokers, to accommodate its comfort zone.

Is it too dark in the house? Turn on more lights. Is it too chilly in the house? Crank up the thermostat. Roast turkey for Christmas? Turn on the oven for a prolonged period. A bit nippy this morning? Fire up the family vehicle and let it idle for several minutes to ward off the chill prior to climbing in.

All these comforts in life ultimately are poisoning the air, making average Canadians guilty of air pollution.

What’s scary is inhaling the poisoned air can’t be avoided.

“You can choose not to drink or not to smoke, but you can’t control whether or not you’re exposed to air pollution. You can’t just decide not to breath,” said Francesca Dominici, a professor at Harvard University’s School of Public Health.

WHO doesn’t arrive at its conclusions without firm evidence. Scientists analyzed more than 1,000 studies worldwide and concluded there was enough evidence to prove exposure to outdoor air pollution is a major cause of lung cancer. The study group also noted a link to other cancers.

IRAC reported that in 2010, more than 220,000 lung cancer deaths around the globe were linked to air pollution. The agency also noted, according to reports, “a link with a slightly higher risk of bladder cancer.”

Closer to home, and a week after the WHO findings were made public, three researchers from the University of British Columbia concluded nearly one-third of Canadians are at risk of an early death from traffic pollution.

The trio, researchers with UBC’s School of Population and Public Health, concluded that 10 million Canadians are exposed to the worst levels of traffic pollution.

“Traffic-related air pollution should be high on Canadian’s public health agenda,” said one of the researchers, Michael Brauer.

The Canadian Medical Association claims that about 21,000 Canadians die prematurely yearly from repeated exposure to air pollution. It adds, “This is in addition to the 92,000 who visit an emergency room and 620,000 ending up in their doctor’s office every year,” an annual cost of about $8 billion to treat air-pollution-related health issues.

It’s vital that Canadians recognize the role they play in poisoning the air.

Look beyond these anti-smoking campaigns and start examining the main issues of air pollution — starting with the family vehicle. Are we willing to cut back on turning the ignition key? We should be, for health’s sake.

“It’s time we got serious about traffic-related pollution,” said Brauer. “Our lives will benefit.”

That seems clear enough to inspire anyone.

Rick Zemanek is a former Advocate editor.