It's not always known what causes lung cancer, but it can be caused by lifestyle, genetic changes, and environmental factors.

Having certain health conditions can also make you more likely to get lung cancer.

You may be more likely to get lung cancer if:

• you smoke
• you've often breathed in other peoples' smoke over a long period of time (passive smoking)
• you have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• a close relative has had lung cancer
• you work or used to work in the building industry and may have breathed in asbestos fibres over a long period of time
• you've breathed in air pollution over a long period of time
• you've breathed in radon over a long period of time – radon is a natural gas that's sometimes found in high levels inside buildings in some areas of the UK

Find out more

• Risks and causes of lung cancer (Cancer Research UK)
• UK radon information (GOV.UK)

It's important to get any symptoms of lung cancer checked by a GP.