Lung Cancer Causes

What is Lung Cancer?

Lung cancer is any cancer that starts in your lungs.  Out of all the different types of cancer, lung cancer causes the most deaths in the USA.  That’s why it’s important to know what causes lung cancer.  By learning about the causes of lung cancer, we can gain valuable information to help prevent the condition.  In this article we’ll discuss lung cancer causes and risk factors, and how Chinese Medicine can help. 

Lung Cancer Causes

Lung Cancer Causes:

Lung cancer usually occurs when your lung cells become damaged.  If the cells in your lungs get damaged for any reason, they start to act abnormally.  This increases your chances of getting cancer.  While there are multiple different substances that can damage your lung cells, the main culprit is smoke.  In fact, 90% of lung cancer cases are caused by smoking.  This is because smoke starts to damage your lung cells as soon as you breathe it in.  Other hazardous substances that may increase your risk of getting lung cancer include radon, asbestos, and arsenic.

Lung Cancer Risk Factors:

There are certain factors that can increase your risk of lung cancer.  Some of these risk factors include:

  • Smoking – The biggest risk factor for lung cancer is smoking (including cigars, cigarettes, and pipes).  Smoke contains many toxic and cancer-causing chemicals.
  • Exposure to Secondhand Smoke – Secondhand smoke is the smoke from another person’s cigarette and the smoke they breathe out.  
  • Radon – To help reduce your risk of lung cancer from radon, get your home checked for radon levels.  Breathing in radon is the biggest risk factor for people who don’t smoke.
  • Radiation Therapy – Previous radiation therapy in the chest area can increase your chances of getting lung cancer.
  • History of Lung Cancer – You’re more likely to get lung cancer if you or your family have had lung cancer in the past.

How Can Chinese Medicine Help?

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) can help you treat lung cancer in two main ways: strengthening the body and eliminating evil.  The first way involves strengthening your own body and immune system to help fight cancerous growths.  The second way helps to eliminate cancer from your body.  A scientific study has shown that Traditional Chinese Medicine can achieve these purposes effectively.  Researchers have even discovered the specific mechanisms by which certain Chinese Medicine herbs can help treat lung cancer.  One study found that “TCM can regulate the proliferation, apoptosis, adhesion, and migration of cancer cells, as well as inhibit tumor angiogenesis, change the host immune system and inhibit tumor growth.”

Lung Cancer Causes

If you’ve already had mainstream treatments for lung cancer (like chemotherapy or surgery), Chinese Medicine can also be used to help increase your chances of recovery.  Acupuncture and moxibustion are two treatment options in Chinese Medicine that can help to improve the overall health of cancer patients.  Chinese Medicine can help to reduce treatment-related side effects and pain, and reduce mortality and the recurrence of tumours in lung cancer patients.  However, it’s important to note that the likelihood of recovering from lung cancer will also depend on the stage of your cancer and your overall health.

For more information about cancer and Chinese Medicine, click here.

Conclusion:

Lung cancer is a deadly disease that can affect many people.  The main cause of lung cancer is smoking.  Other risk factors include breathing in secondhand smoke and hazardous substances like radon or arsenic.  If you have lung cancer, Chinese Medicine could be a good treatment option for you.  Chinese Medicine can treat lung cancer by strengthening your body and eliminating evil, as well as by providing an effective supplementary treatment to other treatment options.

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, January 5). Secondhand Smoke (SHS) Facts. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/secondhand_smoke/general_facts/index.htm#:~:text=Secondhand%20smoke%20is%20the%20combination,about%2070%20can%20cause%20cancer

Centre of Balance: Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine (n.d.).  Cancer Clinic.  https://balancetcm.co.nz/cancer-clinic/

Centre of Balance: Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine (n.d.).  Would You Like to Experience More Energy, & Less Stress & Pain? https://balancetcm.co.nz/

Li, Z., Feiyue, Z., & Gaofeng, L. (2021). Traditional Chinese medicine and lung cancer – From theory to practice. Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy, 137. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopha.2021.111381 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0753332221001669

Pietrangelo, A. & Behring, S. (2022, April 12). Lung Cancer: Everything You Need to Know. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/lung-cancer

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Monica

I am originally from Hebei province in China. I hold a NZ bachelor’s degree of health and science with a major in acupuncture. I am honoured to be an acupuncturist at Centre of Balance. Helping patients to alleviate their pain brings me the greatest joy. Chinese medicine emphasises the unity of human beings and nature. During the treatment, I hope to not only relieve your pain but also help you to understand the principles behind acupuncture’s effectiveness, as well as the significant impact of diet, emotions, lifestyle habits, and living environments on disease recovery. Self-healing is an ability that our bodies are naturally endowed with.

I studied acupuncture in New Zealand and completed one and a half years of supervised clinical internship before graduating. In the early stage of my training, I mainly worked with patients experiencing neck, shoulder, and lower back pain. Under the guidance of senior clinical tutors, I gradually developed hands-on experience and confidence in treating musculoskeletal pain conditions.
As my clinical exposure expanded, I began treating a wider range of internal conditions. Alongside traditional acupuncture, I was introduced to Umbilical Acupuncture and Tungs-acupuncture Points. What interested me most about these approaches is that they often do not require needling directly at the painful area, yet can still achieve very effective results.
I was especially inspired by observing my supervisor use Umbilical Acupuncture to treat common conditions such as insomnia, menstrual irregularities, and even rheumatoid arthritis, with very positive outcomes. Another supervisor was highly skilled in Tungs-acupuncture Points and achieved excellent results in treating pain, infertility, menstrual disorders, and a variety of women’s health conditions. After completing my studies and entering clinical practice, once I observed Dr. Szenan Phua using Tungs-acupuncture points to help cancer patients relieve pain, which further strengthened my trust in this treatment method.
I later completed training in Dr. Tan Balance Acupuncture, which had a strong influence on the way I approach treatment. One of the most noticeable features of this method is how quickly patients often feel improvement, especially with pain conditions. Dr. Szenan Phua’s New Balance Acupuncture combines meridian regulation with structural adjustment and internal organ balancing, including techniques such as pulse balancing and spinal adjustment.
From my clinical experience, pain is rarely just a local issue. It often involves underlying organ weakness or structural imbalance. When these aspects are addressed together, treatment can be more thorough and longer-lasting. I also apply this approach to internal conditions, particularly in fertility and women’s health. This includes supporting natural conception, IVF preparation and embryo transfer, pregnancy support, early-pregnancy nausea, and late-pregnancy labour induction. I combine these treatments with concepts learned from a few additional fertility training, which has given me a broader and more flexible clinical perspective. This has reinforced my belief that acupuncture should be adapted to each individual rather than applied through fixed formulas.
Two other areas of study that have been very helpful in my clinical work are Tongue Diagnosis and Dr. Zhu’s Scalp Acupuncture. Although tongue diagnosis is taught in my standard Chinese medicine training, further study allowed me to deepen and refine my diagnostic skills.
My first formal training was in Li’s Tongue Diagnosis, which looks not only at organ patterns, but also at how different areas of the tongue reflect the body’s structure. This system also explores personality traits and changes during pregnancy, making it both clinically useful and engaging. I later attended online lectures on Yin’s Tongue Diagnosis and studied the related materials independently. this learning has helped me make clearer and more accurate pattern differentiation, allowing my acupuncture treatments to be more targeted. It covers a wide range of conditions, including skin disorders, oncology-related presentations, mental health patterns, and joint or limb problems. In practice, tongue observation often provides valuable insight even before a patient begins describing their symptoms.
In addition to the methods above, I regularly use local bloodletting techniques, which can be very effective for improving circulation, reducing swelling, and relieving pain. I also incorporate auricular (ear) acupressure and stimulation, which I commonly use for allergies, insomnia, headaches, stress management, and various internal conditions.
In my clinical work, I value taking the time to listen carefully to each patient and to understand their overall health, lifestyle, and concerns. Based on each individual’s condition, I also provide personalised dietary guidance and lifestyle or wellness advice to support overall health and long-term wellbeing. I commonly support patients with musculoskeletal pain, such as neck, shoulder, knee, and back pain, as well as stress-related conditions, sleep issues, migraines, digestive concerns, and women’s health and fertility-related conditions.