Salted or dried fish did not seem to protect against the disease. Other scientific studies have indicated they could increase the risk of lung cancer. Scientists are not sure how fresh fish helps to lower lung cancer risk in smokers but suspect it is due to polyunsaturated fatty acids present in fish oil. Lung cancer is the deadliest of all cancers. The five-year survival rate for lung cancer is about 10 percent and an estimated 80 percent of lung cancer patients die within a year of being diagnosed.
Smoking is a leading cause of the disease.