Doctors were stunned when lung cancer is on the rise in young women who have NEVER smoked – but not in men and older people

Lung cancer rates in young women and girls are soaring, new data shows – and doctors aren’t sure what’s behind the mysterious explosion.

Figures from Cancer Research UK (CRUK) show that the number of cases of the disease among women under 24 has risen by 130 percent in recent decades.

This makes them the fastest growing group at risk of the disease in both sexes – although people over 70 are still most likely to be diagnosed.

In contrast, rates among men of the same age have fallen over this period, for reasons that doctors say are simply unknown.

Cancer experts have now warned against seeing lung cancer as ‘an old person’s disease’ – as was previously seen.

Young women were also urged not to ignore a persistent cough – the main symptom of the disease – at this time of year when colds are widespread.

Experts told MailOnline that one of the reasons for the concern is that many of these cases are among women who have never smoked.

This means it is virtually impossible for doctors to provide advice on how younger women can minimize their risk.

Professor Karol Sikora, a world-renowned oncologist with more than 40 years of experience, said the unexplained increase was “worrying and concerning” because doctors had “no idea” what was causing the increase.

He added that it was part of the overall increase in the increasing incidence of cancer in young people, although not as dramatic as that seen in bowel cancer, which he suspected was due to a complex interaction with as yet undetermined environmental factors.

“All you can think about is changes in diet, and changes in exercise habits, changes in work patterns,” he said.

But citing US research in which American medics also observed a similar increase, he said the most likely cause was that smoking was unlikely to be a factor.

“Smoking is not taken into account because the largest increases have been observed in non-smoking women,” he said.

Official data also suggests that smoking rates among young women are declining.

Figures from the Office of National Statistics show that 8 percent of women aged 18 to 24 smoke, compared to almost one in four about a decade ago.

Some experts have suggested that an increase in vaping could be responsible, citing a rise in device use among young women, with almost one in 10 now saying they use the devices.

Professor Sikora said this was an intriguing theory, but only one of many experts investigating.

He added that this uncertainty made it impossible to provide reliable advice on how people can minimize their risk.

“The problem is you can’t give public health advice and you can’t identify which people are most at risk,” he said.

One possible cause, repeatedly touted online, is that Covid jabs are somehow behind a rise in cancer cases, but has not yet been proven.

Experts have repeatedly emphasized that data showing a rise in cancer rates, such as that seen in lung cancer, only goes back to 2018, years before vaccines were invented.

Professor Sikora added that it is crucial to remember that despite a 129 per cent increase, lung cancer still remains rare overall among young women, with only a ‘handful of cases’ each year.

However, he said this does not mean people should ignore the possible symptoms and urged young women not to dismiss a persistent cough at this time of year as a routine winter cough.

“If you think it’s the flu and the flu hasn’t gone away in two weeks, go to the doctor,” he said.

Lung cancer kills around 35,000 Britons every year, around four every hour.

However, the number of cases of the disease has fallen by about 9 percent among the entire population since the 1990s.

Symptoms of lung cancer include a persistent cough that does not go away after three weeks, repeated respiratory infections, coughing up blood, pain while breathing, persistent shortness of breath and fatigue, and unexpected weight loss.

Other more unusual signs of lung cancer include change in the appearance of your fingers, difficulty or pain when swallowing, wheezing, changes in your voice, and swelling of the face or neck.

Anyone with any of these symptoms is urgently asked to see their doctor.

CRUK data shows that a total of one in thirteen British women and one in fourteen men will develop lung cancer in their lifetime.

It is believed that the vast majority of cases of the disease, about four in five, are preventable.

It is estimated that 72 percent of all cases of lung disease in Britain are caused by smoking.

Another 8 percent is believed to be caused by long-term exposure to air pollution, such as that caused by vehicle emissions.