Smoking is the primary risk factor for lung cancer

Besides smoking, professional exposure may be to blame. Asbestos is most often blamed, but other chemical and/or physical compounds, most often found in small qualities in a professional environment (arsenic, nickel, chromium, mustard gas, bis(chloromethyl)ether, etc.) have been recognized by the international agency for cancer research as being pulmonary carcinogens in humans.

All patients, whether or not they smoke, must be examined for professional exposure to a carcinogen, which then justifies a declaration and possibly compensation.

It also seems that other sources of environmental pollution are, to a lesser extent, risk factors for lung cancer, such as atmospheric pollution and radon (a radioactive gas released into the atmosphere by subterranean rocks and present naturally in some regions).

Many other factors are potentially involved in the occurrence of lung cancer, but for the most part their role and importance remain unproven and are currently being studied.

No genetic predisposition to this cancer has been identified.