For the first time, the WHO’s international agency for research on cancer (IARC) declared today Thursday 17th 2013 that air pollution is scientifically proven as a carcinogen for lung cancer. According to Kurt Straif, who is heading the IARC, “We consider this to be the most important environmental carcinogen, more so than passive smoking,” (Chengap, 2013, para. 3). Obviously most components in air pollution such as diesel fumes are carcinogens. However, this is the first time air pollution has been officially classified in its entirety as carcinogens (Chengap, 2013). Perhaps, the risk attributed to lung cancer via air pollution is low.

Air pollution exposure is distributed through transportation, power plants, and industrial, agricultural emissions and other means. Unfortunately, everyone is exposed to air pollution, a variable that is not an option for any breathable living thing. Air pollution was previously shown to increase the risk of heart and respiratory diseases, but now carcinogen is on the list of air pollution risks (Chengap, 2013).  Thus, masking in a highly polluted environment may be an alternative.

The scientific analysis with more than 1,000 studies worldwide showed significant evidence that exposure to air pollution causes lung cancer (Chengap, 2013). In addition, in 2010, IARC indicated that there were more than 220,000 lung cancer deaths worldwide, and a slightly risk of bladder cancer were attributed to air pollution. Based on the WHO data China and India were the most air polluted metropolitans in the world. However, cancer risk is a multifactorial variable which depends on several variable including but are not limited to intrinsic factors such as genetics, or extrinsic factors such as exposure to dangerous substances, lifestyle choices, alcohol, exercise and smoking.

Reference

Chengap. M. (2013).  Air pollution causes cancer, WHO agency concludes.  Retrieved from http://news.msn.com/science-technology/air-pollution-causes-cancer-who-agency-concludes