Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death for men and women in the U.S., according to the American Cancer Society. About 164,100 new cases of the disease were expected to be diagnosed in 1997 and 156,900 people were expected to die from the cancer. Smoking avoidance is the most important behavior to reduce lung cancer risk. Researchers estimate that fruit and vegetable consumption may lower risk at best two-fold, while smoking cessation causes a 20-fold decrease in risk.
Apart from smoking cessation, further reduction of risk may be achieved by weight loss (when appropriate), a healthier diet (fruits and cabbage family vegetables), and supplements such as selenium and vitamins C and E. Vitamins C and E work synergistically and a moderate dose of both taken in combination may provide more of a protective effect against lung cancer than either taken separately. Epidemiology, 1997;146(3): pp.231- 243]