More and more often, I come across cases of nonsmokers who develop lung cancer. My attention is always drawn to news of this nature because my husband passed away at the age of 51 from brain and lung cancer. He never smoked a day in his life. The complacency non-smokers have shared over the years is no longer a viable option. Smokers and non-smokers alike are vulnerable to a disease which is largely incurable. Among patients with lung cancer, only about 14% live five years after their diagnosis. In the face of a disease that seems to have neither rhyme nor reason, what can we do to protect ourselves? First, assess your risk for lung cancer; then take measures to prevent the disease. What are the risk factors for lung cancer? Gender: Unfortunately, women seem to be more vulnerable to lung cancer. Research has shown that female smokers are more susceptible to the cancer-causing chemicals found in cigarettes. In another study, a gene linked to abnormal lung cancer cell growth was found to