In this article
Study Reveals Lung Cancer Risks in Never-Smokers
July 7th 2021 : Tobacco smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer, accounting for over 80% of all fatalities from the disease. People who do not smoke, however, are also susceptible to lung cancer. According to a new study, around 12 people in every 100 who were recently diagnosed with lung cancer in the United States had never smoked cigarettes. The American Cancer Society and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) collaborated on the research (ACS). The findings were published in JAMA Oncology in a study letter.
While past studies have found an increase in the number of lung cancer patients who had never smoked cigarettes in both the United States and the United Kingdom (UK), this study sheds further light on the rate at which lung cancer is identified. This study employed a large sample of approximately 129,000 instances of lung cancer based on data from cancer registries in seven states, rather than smaller studies that used data from local hospitals.
The information was gathered between 2011 and 2016, when the CDC’s National Program of Cancer Registries began collecting cigarette smoking history from patient medical records.
Newer insights on smoking and cancer
The study offers a more detailed look at recently diagnosed lung cancer patients based on their smoking history.
In “never smokers” (people with a recent diagnosis of lung cancer who never smoked), the researchers found a higher percentage of:
- Women (about 16%) across all age groups, races/ethnicities, and most types of lung cancer in comparison to men (about 10%).
- People ages 20 to 49, including women (about 28%) and men (about 19%).
- People with the adenocarcinoma type of non-small cell lung cancer, compared with other types of lung cancer. This was consistent with previous studies.
In “ever smokers” (people with a recent diagnosis of lung cancer who currently smoke or used to smoke), the researchers found a higher percentage of:
- Men (90%) than women (84%). About half of men and women ages 20 to 64 were current smokers.
- Current smokers who are Black compared to whites or Hispanics.
How CancerFax Helps
CancerFax is a specialist cancer access and patient-navigation platform. We help patients and families understand their options, organise medical records, coordinate hospital communication, and support cross-border treatment planning where appropriate.
We help collect and organise reports, scans, pathology, biomarker results, and treatment history for structured case review.
We communicate with hospitals or trial teams to assess whether a case may be suitable for further screening.
We support appointment coordination, document submission, translation, and direct communication with international departments.
For international patients, we help with practical coordination — travel planning, hospital admission guidance, and local support.
If this option is not suitable, we help explore other relevant treatments, clinical trials, or advanced care pathways.
From inquiry through to follow-up, our coordinators provide a single point of contact for the family.
CancerFax does not guarantee treatment access, eligibility, or clinical outcome. Our role is to help patients access accurate information, structured review, and appropriate specialist pathways.
About Sai Sree
✓ Reviewed for medical accuracy by the CancerFax review panel.
Medical Disclaimer
This article is for educational purposes only and should not replace medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a qualified oncology specialist. Every patient's case is different. Treatment decisions should always be made after a review of complete medical records by the treating medical team.
Treatment availability, eligibility, timelines, and access can change. Any clinical trial participation depends on detailed review and approval by the trial hospital or investigator.