Lung cancer is the most common cancer in the world. In the United Kingdom, around 39,000 new cases are diagnosed each year and it is estimated that, at any one time, there are 65,000 people living with lung cancer.
It is known that smokers and ex-smokers have a particularly high risk of developing the disease: although most lung cancers are related to smoking, 10% of people with lung cancer have never smoked.
However, there are other factors that increase the risk of developing lung cancer disease, for example, exposure to chemicals found in the workplace or environment, such as: asbestos, radon, diesel exhaust fumes, synthetic fibres and many others.