Overview
- CDC data indicate that up to 20% of new lung cancer diagnoses are in people who have never smoked.
- Clinicians report a shift toward younger patients and say incidence is declining more slowly in women than in men.
- Experts point to radon exposure, polluted air, and genetic mutations as key drivers, with the EPA warning that radon can seep into homes through cracks and gaps.
- Annual screening guidelines target people with smoking histories, so doctors urge nonsmokers to watch for symptoms such as a persistent cough, chest pain, weight loss, shortness of breath, or new wheezing.
- A recent case involved 36-year-old Christy Houvouras, a healthy mother of two whose stage 1 tumor was removed surgically, underscoring calls for patients to advocate for evaluation of unusual symptoms.