Toxic Air Pollution Now Driving Lung Cancer Rise in Non-Smokers, Doctors Warn

New Delhi, November 29, 2025: Doctors across major urban centers, especially in North India, are sounding the alarm over a disturbing shift in the profile of lung cancer patients. Once primarily a smoker’s disease, physicians report that up to **70% of new lung cancer cases** are now being diagnosed in individuals who have never smoked.

The consensus among specialists is that highly toxic air pollution, specifically fine particulate matter (PM2.5), is acting as the primary carcinogen. This pollution can penetrate deep into the lungs, triggering the cellular mutations that lead to cancer. Experts warn that breathing Delhi’s polluted air daily carries a similar or even higher long-term risk than traditional smoking.