What causes lung carcinoid tumors?

What causes lung carcinoid tumors?

The cause of lung carcinoid tumors is still unclear. They don’t seem to be related to smoking, air pollutants or other chemicals. However, there are factors that may put some people at an increased risk. Lung carcinoids are more likely to develop in whites than in people of other races. The tumors tend to be present in more women than men. People with a rare inherited disorder called multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) are at somewhat higher risk for lung carcinoids.