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Questions to Ask Your Doctor About Your Cancer
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Non-modifiable Risk Factors

There are a number of non-modifiable risk factors, those that a person has no control over, for lung cancer.

Age
Lung cancer is a "disease of aging." During aging, as the body's internal repair processes are slowed and its metabolism changes, the likelihood of cancer development (carcinogenesis) increases. According to the American Cancer Society, the average age of people with lung cancer is 60. Lung cancer is unusual among people under 40 years of age. The majority of lung cancers occur among people in older age groups (50+ years).

Some experts suggest that lung cancer occurs because of the accumulation of numerous genetic mutations, some of which may be caused by tobacco carcinogens. Such a collection of genetic mutations would be affected by the age-related length of exposure to carcinogens, as well as individual susceptibility and the intensity and variety of exposure(s).

Race
There are many variations in smoking habits among different races and ethnic groups within the United States. In recent decades, there have been more smokers, but fewer cigarettes smoked per day, among African American versus Caucasian men, although both African American and Caucasian women have reported similar smoking rates.

In addition, menthol cigarettes are widely used among African Americans. Yet black men and women exhibit higher lung cancer rates than Caucasians, even after findings have been adjusted for differences in smoking habits. Dissimilar socioeconomic backgrounds may account for some of the differences in lung cancer rates between African American and Caucasian populations within the United States (e.g., the highest rate of age-adjusted lung cancer incidence is found in the African American citizens of New Orleans, many of whom belong to low socioeconomic groups).

In Japan, lung cancer incidence has risen eight- and tenfold among women and men, respectively. Among central and eastern Europeans, lung cancer rates are higher than ever recorded. The causes of such increases are unknown, although genetic differences may be sources of variance in lung cancer risk among different racial and ethnic groups.

Sex
The higher rate of lung cancer among American men, in comparison to American women, probably mirrors the higher rate of smoking in this group. Men and women in the United States have historically differed in their cigarette smoking habits—including the frequency of smoking, age when starting to smoke, and patterns and intensity of smoking.

The highest reported female smoking rates occurred in the 1970s, although such figures did not equal or exceed smoking rates in men. Some studies have noted sex-specific differences in lung cancer rates even after adjustment for smoking. In addition, lung cancer deaths remain higher in male versus female nonsmokers. It is thought that other related factors, such as sex-linked genetic susceptibility or sex hormones, may be responsible for some of the gender-related differences in lung cancer risk.

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