Environmental and Geographical Determinants of Lung Cancer in Pakistan: A Growing Public Health Concern

作者：Riffat Mehboob · 发表于：Pakistan BioMedical Journal · 年份：2026 · DOI：10.54393/pbmj.v9i4.1360

Lung cancer is a cancer that starts in the cells in the lungs, which is often caused by smoking or exposure to air pollution. It is defined as the uncontrolled growth of cells. There are two main types: small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) [1]. Early detection and treatment are key, but lung cancer is often diagnosed at advanced stages, which makes it challenging to treat effectively [2]. Lung cancer is a form of cancer with an incidence of 9,464 new cases in Pakistan (5.1% of all cancers). It is the third most common cancer. The mortality due to lung cancer is 8,307 deaths (7.0% of total cancer deaths). It continues to be a persistent disease with a 5-year prevalence of 12,805. The cumulative risk of developing lung cancer before the age of 75 is 0.69%. Lung cancer continues to increase in both males and females, especially in big cities like Karachi and Lahore [3]. The environmental determinants significantly influence the burden and geographical distribution of lung cancer in Pakistan. The combined effect of rapid urbanization, industrial growth, growing motorized transportation, and unsafe working conditions has led to a general increase in exposure to carcinogenic pollutants in both urban and rural areas. Furthermore, the vulnerability of high-risk communities is growing due to differences in environmental regulation and a lack of public knowledge of hazardous exposures. Environmental exposure, such as industrial emissions, vehicle poll...