Passive smoking does not necessarily lead to lung cancer, scientists claim

Researchers from Stanford University say their findings add to a body of evidence which shows that while smoking cigarettes is strongly linked to cancer, passive smoking is not, Daily Mail reports.

Only people who live in the same house as a smoker for over 30 years might be more likely to develop lung cancer, they say.

Data for 76,304 participants about passive smoking exposure in childhood, the adult home and work for was studied.

Of those that took part, 901 people developed lung cancer over 10.5 years of follow-up.

The study, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute said the incidence of lung cancer was 13 times higher in current smokers and four times higher in former smokers than those who have never smoked cigarettes.

However, among the women who had never smoked and those who were exposed to secondhand smoke, there was not any ‘significant’ statistical increase in lung cancer risk.

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