{
    "success": true,
    "data": {
        "id": 1573719,
        "msgid": "understanding-pm2-5-the-fine-particles-that-awaken-lung-cancer-cells-in-women-1772162718",
        "date": "2026-02-26 23:04:00",
        "title": "Understanding PM2.5: The Fine Particles That 'Awaken' Lung Cancer Cells in Women",
        "author": "Putri Rosmalia",
        "source": "MEDIA_INDONESIA",
        "tags": "",
        "topic": "Social Policy",
        "summary": "Recent research indicates that PM2.5 air pollution acts as a trigger for lung cancer in non-smokers, particularly women, by activating cancer cells rather than directly damaging DNA. This is especially concerning in Indonesia, where women of Asian descent have a higher prevalence of EGFR mutations, making them more susceptible to the harmful effects of PM2.5 exposure in polluted urban areas.",
        "content": "<p>For decades, the medical world believed that lung cancer was\ntriggered by DNA damage caused by chemicals in cigarettes. However, the\nlatest research in 2026 confirms a different phenomenon: air pollution,\nspecifically Particulate Matter 2.5 (PM2.5), acts as a \u2018switch\u2019 that\nactivates cancer cells in people who have never smoked, especially\nwomen.<\/p>\n<p>PM2.5 is a solid or liquid particle in the air that is smaller than\n2.5 micrometers \u2013 about 30 times finer than the diameter of a human\nhair. Due to its microscopic size, these particles are not filtered by\nthe nasal hairs and go directly into the deepest part of the lungs\n(alveoli), even penetrating the bloodstream.<\/p>\n<p>Unlike cigarette smoke, which directly damages genes, PM2.5 works in\na more insidious way. According to a study from the Francis Crick\nInstitute, here are the stages of how pollution triggers cancer in\nnon-smokers:<\/p>\n<p>Data shows that women of Asian descent have a much higher prevalence\nof EGFR mutations (around 50%) compared to the Western population. This\nexplains why exposure to pollution in major cities in Indonesia has a\nmore fatal impact on non-smoking women in the country.<\/p>\n<p>Our health is being threatened by uncontrolled emissions. Here are\nthe main sources of PM2.5 that need to be watched out for:<\/p>\n<p>Given that we cannot choose the air we breathe, oncologists recommend\nthe following steps:<\/p>\n<p>Awareness of the dangers of PM2.5 is no longer just an environmental\nissue, but an effort to save lives from the threat of cancer that is\n\u2018hidden\u2019 behind the smog. (H-3)<\/p>\n<p>Northwestern University research reveals that wood smoke in homes\ncontributes to 20% of deadly pollution in the US.<\/p>",
        "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/understanding-pm2-5-the-fine-particles-that-awaken-lung-cancer-cells-in-women-1772162718",
        "image": ""
    },
    "sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
    "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}