Asbestos
Asbestos dust is the most common and most important occupational risk factor for the development of lung carcinoma. A cigarette smoker has an eleven times greater chance of dying from lung cancer than a non-smoker. When cigarette smoking is combined with asbestos exposure, the chance of developing lung carcinoma is 92 times greater than the non-smoking population. All forms of asbestos have been demonstrated to produce lung cancer and mesothelioma. The incidence of lung cancer in the non-smoking patient population exposed to asbestos is also significantly increased.