Air pollution is responsible for over 1,100 cases of lung cancer each year in the UK, particularly the most common form of the disease, adenocarcinoma. New findings from the World Health Organization’s cancer agency highlight that exposure to toxic air was linked to 515 men and 590 women developing adenocarcinoma in 2022.
This research reveals alarming figures, with the UK showing higher rates of lung cancer linked to air pollution compared to the US and Canada, and rates four times higher than Finland, which has the lowest rates in Northern Europe.
This ground-breaking analysis from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) is the first of its kind to compile data on the relationship between air pollution and lung cancer, and it has been described as a wake-up call for government officials.
Lung cancer, which is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally, now has adenocarcinoma as the most prevalent form among both men and women. The condition has become more common in recent decades and is now responsible for 45.6% of lung cancer cases in men and 59.7% in women worldwide.
Notably, adenocarcinoma accounts for about 70% of lung cancer cases in non-smokers, a stark reminder that pollution is a significant risk factor, especially as more people who have never smoked are diagnosed.
The IARC study revealed that approximately 200,000 adenocarcinoma cases worldwide in 2022 were caused by air pollution, with the most significant burden found in East Asia. However, the UK’s rates of adenocarcinoma linked to toxic air were higher than in the US and Canada, though lower than in China.
This data underscores the critical need for stronger government action to reduce air pollution. Lucy Clark from Cancer Research UK pointed out that while smoking remains the biggest cause of lung cancer, air pollution is now a significant contributor, with hundreds of thousands of cases each year globally.
Sarah Sleet, CEO of Asthma + Lung UK, warned that the UK government’s failure to implement stricter air quality measures could harm future generations. She highlighted the recent approval of a new runway at Heathrow, which is expected to increase pollution levels. Livi Elsmore of the Healthy Air Coalition echoed this sentiment, calling for more decisive government action to clean up the UK’s air.