Victor Davis Hanson Reports Successful Lung Cancer Surgery as Post-Op Complication Slows Recovery

He is weighing preventive chemo or immunotherapy that he says offers only a small edge against a tumor type prone to recur.

Overview

In a Feb. 2 update on X, the Hoover Institution fellow said surgeons removed a mucinous adenoma carcinoma along with his lower right lung lobe.
He disclosed a post-operative aneurysm and bleed that required an immediate second operation and about five transfusions, leading to low red blood counts, fatigue, and arterial fibrillation.
Hanson described the cancer as a rare nonsmoker’s variant with a roughly 40% local recurrence rate despite negative lymph nodes and clean pre-op scans.
He said chemotherapy and immunotherapy are generally not effective for this mutation but may reduce recurrence risk by 5–10%, and he will decide on treatment based on his energy during recovery.
He has not set a timeline for returning to normal duties, plans occasional posts when feeling well, and co-host Jack Fowler continues to anchor their podcast; reports vary on whether the surgery occurred Dec. 30 or in early January.