Study Links Pesticide Exposure in Healthy Foods to Increased Lung Cancer Risk in Young Non-Smokers

A new study presented at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) suggests that young non-smokers who consume more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains may have a higher risk of developing lung cancer. Researchers speculate that this unexpected finding could be linked to pesticide exposure in non-organic produce.

The study, led by Jorge Nieva, MD, a medical oncologist and lung cancer specialist at USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, has not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal. Nieva emphasized the need to investigate this potential environmental risk factor.

“Our research shows that younger non-smokers who eat a higher quantity of healthy foods than the general population are more likely to develop lung cancer. These counter-intuitive findings raise important questions about an unknown environmental risk factor for lung cancer related to otherwise beneficial food that needs to be addressed.”

Nieva and his team surveyed 187 patients diagnosed with lung cancer before age 50, most of whom had never smoked. The participants provided details on their smoking history, diet, and demographics. The researchers used the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) to compare the diets of these patients with the general U.S. population.

The study highlights that non-organic fruits, vegetables, and whole grains often contain higher pesticide levels than processed foods, meat, and dairy. Previous research has linked pesticide exposure in agricultural workers to increased lung cancer rates, supporting this theory.

While lung cancer rates in the U.S. have declined since the 1980s alongside smoking rates, this trend does not apply to non-smokers under 50, particularly women. Women in this group are now more likely than men to develop lung cancer.

“This trend is quite concerning. I think it is important for us to better understand through research why non-smokers are getting lung cancer.”

Jimmy Johannes, MD, a pulmonologist and critical care medicine specialist at MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center, who was not involved in the study, shared this concern with Healthline.

Experts caution against reducing intake of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, as the study does not prove causation and is limited by its small sample size. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and explore potential solutions.