Lung Cancer Awareness Month and Exposure Risks to Airborne Carcinogens and Pollutants in California

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death and the second most common cancer among both men and women in the United States. Each year, about 218,000 people in the United States are told they have lung cancer and about 149,000 people die from the disease.

To raise awareness and educate people about things they can do to help prevent new cases of lung cancer, November has been designated as Lung Cancer Awareness Month. This is important as many cases of lung cancer could be prevented. For example, there would be far fewer cases if people stopped smoking or were not exposed to secondhand smoke. The CDC reports that nonsmokers who are exposed to secondhand smoke at home or at work increase their risk of getting lung cancer by 20% to 30%.

There are also other environmental factors that can increase one’s chances of developing the disease. The second leading cause of lung cancer is radon according to many health advocates. Radon is a naturally occurring gas that comes from rocks and dirt and can get trapped in houses and buildings. People can also be exposed to substances and chemical compounds at work that could increase their chances of developing lung cancer. There are many known occupational carcinogens that can be airborne, including asbestos, arsenic, benzene, cadmium, ethylene oxide, diesel exhaust, and some forms of silica and chromium to name a few.

“Avoiding exposure to airborne carcinogens and pollutants in the home and work environment is important for lung health,” said Joseph Frasca, LA Testing’s Senior Vice President of Marketing. “At LA Testing, we support the efforts of Lung Cancer Awareness Month and our California testing laboratories offer an array of indoor and outdoor air quality testing services, sampling supplies, test kits, monitoring instruments and even respirators. Testing is the only way to know for sure what people are being exposed to in the air they breathe.”

To learn more about this or other outdoor or indoor air quality (IAQ), occupational, environmental, health and safety testing services, please visit www.LATesting.com, email  info@LATesting.com  or call (800) 755-1794. For access to test kits, visit www.EMSLTestKits.com. 

About LA Testing
LA Testing is California’s leading laboratory for indoor air quality testing of asbestos, mold, lead, VOCs, formaldehyde, soot, char, ash and smoke damage, particulates and other chemicals. In addition, LA Testing offers a full range of air sampling and investigative equipment to professionals and the general public. LA Testing maintains an extensive list of accreditations including: : AIHA-LAP, LLC (AIHA-LAP, LLC EMLAP, AIHA-LAP, LLC IHLAP, AIHA-LAP, LLC ELLAP), CDC ELITE, NVLAP, State of California, State of Hawaii Department of Health and other states. LA Testing, along with the EMSL Analytical, Inc. network, has multiple laboratories throughout California including South Pasadena, Huntington Beach, San Leandro, San Diego and Ontario.

Contact Information

Joseph Frasca

Senior Vice President of Marketing

LA Testing

(1) 856-303-2503

Contact via E-mail