Non-Smoker In Delhi Diagnosed With Stage Four Lung Cancer, Doctors Say Air Pollution Might Be The Reason

We all have been aware of all the buzz and discussions around the ever-worsening scenario of air pollution in the country. People have acknowledged the importance of finding a solution to the problem.

The most recent case of a 28-year-old getting diagnosed with Cancer even after she is a non-smoker goes on to tell that the situation is getting out of control and surely demands a strict redressal.

According to the doctors of the city’s Ganga Ram Hospital, a 28-year-old woman has been diagnosed with a fourth stage lung cancer and air pollution might just be the reason behind it.

Although her identity is not yet revealed, It has been reported that the woman is a resident of Ghazipur city in Uttar Pradesh, the area is believed to be highly polluted due to the presence of many landfill sites.

What did the doctor say?

Dr Arvind Kumar, the chairperson of the lung cancer foundation in Delhi and also a chest surgeon at the Ganga Ram Hospital told India Today that they were surprised to know that the woman was suffering from stage four lung cancer, even after being a non-smoker.

On asked whether Delhi’s pollution was responsible behind the disease, Dr Arvind said, “The patient is a non-smoker. In fact, no one smokes in her family. So there is no other choice but to accept that this is due to the polluted air of Delhi. We have seen many such cases before in which the patient is a non-smoker but is suffering from lung cancer, but this is the first such case in which the patient is suffering from lung cancer due to polluted air”.

The doctor was also asked if the reason behind the disease was the fact that the victim used to reside in a polluted area, which also had a number of landfill sites.

The doctor said, “The air has no boundaries. As it blows, it also carries the pollution with itself and can leave its effect anywhere in the city. The same poisonous chemical is being found in Delhi’s air which is found in a cigarette.”

“Smoke from five cigarettes to 20 cigarettes is present in Delhi’s air. You can not be a non-smoker if you live in Delhi,” he added.

There have been many similar cases in the past

While speaking to The Times of India, Dr. Arvind Kumar said that “I have reported such cases earlier too. On average, I have seen 2-3 lung cancer cases every month in non-smoking individuals in their early 30s but this is the first case in 20s”.

A report by The Guardian, published back in 2017 talked about nearly half of the lung cancer patients in Delhi being non-smokers.

While the governments on being questioned about the reason behind the problem, do come up with a number of assertions, they just do not seem to have a plan to control the problem, which essentially means that it is the common man who gets to suffer.

Also Read: In 2017, 12 Lakh Indians Died Due To Air Pollution, Smoking Killed Less: Study