WAUSAU, Wis. – Thousands of nonsmokers are diagnosed with lung cancer every year. Aspirus Health urges you to learn what you can do to reduce your risk.

When you think of lung cancer, chances are what immediately comes to mind is smoking. And it should. Up to 80 percent of lung cancer deaths are thought to result from smoking, according to the American Cancer Society.

“But lung cancer can also occur in nonsmokers,” said Dr. Justin Asquith, Aspirus Health medical oncologist. “These cancers can result from certain substances in the environment – both indoors and outdoors – that we breath into our lungs. As with all cancers, lung cancer begins when the genetic material in cells is damaged. There are several possible causes for this damage.”

A family history of lung cancer may slightly raise your risk for the disease, especially if the member of your family was diagnosed at a young age. However, most nonsmoker lung cancer comes from breathing cancer-causing substances, such as radon.

Radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer. It is an odorless, colorless gas that rises from the soil and can enter buildings through gaps or cracks in the foundation. About 1 in 15 homes in the U.S. has excessive levels of radon.

To find out if radon is a problem in your home, you should purchase a do-it-yourself testing kit to measure the amount of radon in your home. You can also hire a professional to measure the radon level for you. If radon is a problem in your home, there are measures you can take to fix it, including hiring a qualified contractor to fix your home because lowering radon levels re quires special knowledge and skills.

If you do discover that you have experienced a prolonged exposure to radon, contact your primary care provider about scheduling a lung cancer screening.