The Leading Causes of Lung Cancer in Non-Smokers

Overview

Objectives/Goals The purpose of my science fair project was to find the leading cause(s) of lung cancer in non-smokers. Methods/Materials Using the website, Surveymokey.com, I created a survey and posted a link to the survey on several different lung cancer sites, such as Lungcanceralliance.org, and anonymously surveyed 50 non-smokers and 78 smokers, smokers being my control. My survey asked about different factors which could have caused the survey-takers lung cancer. Results The data from this experiment showed that secondhand smoke was the cause of 56% of non-smokers lung cancer, with 36% of smokers with lung cancer having a family history of lung cancer and a mutation on the EGFR gene coming in second, and air pollution causing cancer in 20% of non-smokers with lung cancer. Conclusions/Discussion My conclusion is that secondhand smoke is the leading cause of lung cancer, with a family history of lung cancer and a mutation on the EGFR gene coming in second, and air pollution is the third leading cause. I also think that a mutation on the EGFR gene may be genetically passed down because of the same percentage of people who responded positive to both factors of a mutation on the EGFR gene and a family history with lung cancer. The results of my experiment suggest that people should try to avoid secondhand smoke and get tested for a mutation on the EGFR gene if they have a family history with lung cancer.

Competition history

• CSEF 2011 Mammalian Biology · Entry J1213

Resources

• CSEF project summary ↗

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