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Pulmonary medicine is a major specialty requiring years of training in its unique disciplines. The specialist in pulmonary diseases studies the wide variety of pathogens that can infect the human lungs. These include many families of bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Also, the pulmonary specialist learns to treat noninfectious lung diseases, such as asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and cystic fibrosis, as well as lung diseases that are caused by lifestyle (smoking), the natural environment (pollution, smog, or allergens), and the workplace (toxic chemicals, paints, or airborne dusts). The lung cancer that pulmonary medicine treats, a major killer in Western societies, is often related to cigarette smoking, although other factors may be involved.