Bengaluru traffic police vulnerable to lung-related diseases, says Oncologist

BENGALURU: Bengaluru city traffic police have prolonged exposure to dust and toxic emissions from vehicles like nitrogen oxide and sulphur oxide, making them extremely vulnerable to lung-related diseases, Dr. Vishal Rao, Senior Surgical Oncologist and Associate Dean of Centre of Academic Research, HCG Cancer hospital.

Bengaluru is ever-growing, and so is the reliance on private transport. The heavy vehicular density leads to a massive amount of dust pollution, he said at a screening session for traffic policemen as part of the national pollution control day in Bengaluru on Monday.

Respiration is the most important function of the lungs, which keeps us going, similar to fuel for vehicles to run. Therefore, it is extremely important for the lungs to be healthy for it to function efficiently. With the rising Traffic issues in cities, it is increasingly becoming a phenomenon to inhale impure air resulting out of vehicle emissions, smoke and other substances.


Chronic infections are risk factors for lung cancer, reason being exposed to environmental pollution which comprises air and water pollution, the former being more prevalent, Dr. Dinesh Bhaktha, Pulmonologist at the hospital said.

Air pollution resulting out of transportation, construction, burning certain substances releases hazardous gasses and dust particles, and studies have shown that the PM 2.5 + level pollution in the air is almost equivalent to smoking one cigarette a day, he said. Symptoms like persistent cough or wheezing should be immediately checked and required tests to be done for faster diagnosis of any lung disease, he added.

Lung cancer incidences in India as reported by Globocon in 2018 were as follows, according to a HCG press release.