Pope Leo lung cancer raises serious questions about cancer risk for nonsmokers. Here's what researchers are saying

Pope Leo's lung cancer surgery has once against brought spotlight on the risk of developing cancer for the nonsmokers. Apprehensions were raised after reports said that Pope Leo does not smoke. Pope Leo was diagnosed with Lung adenocarcinoma. Lung Cancer Foundation of America report stated that around 40 per cent of all lung cancers detected in the U.S. The report also mentions that Lung adenocarcinoma is the most common among non-smokers, Fox News report.

Talking to Fox News, oncologist at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida Lary Robinson said that lung cancer can be diagnosed in 25 per cent of female patients and 10 per cent of male patients.

Pope Leo Health Update


71-year-old Pope Leo XIV gave strong indications Friday that he was recovering well from lung cancer surgery and was very much in charge of running the Catholic Church, speaking on the phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin, meeting with top aides and celebrating Mass in a makeshift hospital chapel.

The Vatican said that during the call with Putin, “the Holy Father expressed his deep concern about the grave humanitarian situation in the city of Oleshky, in the Kherson region, and called for a ceasefire to allow the delivery of food and medical assistance, and the voluntary and safe evacuation of the civilian population.”

The statement added that Leo "reaffirmed the Holy See's commitment to promoting dialogue and peace." The statement was significant, showing Leo was well enough to conduct official diplomatic business from the Gemelli hospital, was keeping up with world events and was continuing to promote his message of peace as he recovers from surgery.

First Images of Pope Leo

Also Friday, the Vatican released the first images of Pope Leo since his lung cancer surgery October 13, showing him standing up at the altar in green vestments, as doctors said that tests confirmed his “continued improvement.”

Pope Leo had the lower lobe of his right lung removed after doctors identified a suspected cancerous nodule. The surgery confirmed he had adenocarcinoma, the most common type of lung cancer.

The Vatican had originally estimated a weeklong hospital stay, and had cancelled his audiences through Tuesday. Bruni said the pope's doctors would decide if there were any changes expected to his discharge date. But with Leo's homily Friday thanking hospital personnel who had cared for him, there might be little reason for him to stay if he was medically ready for discharge.

Cancer for Non-Smokers

Earlier in September, researchers reported that up to 20 per cent of patients with lung cancer have never smoked. A new discovery could help doctors identify these high-risk individuals in advance and monitor them more intensively, as per Reuters report.

A rare inherited mutation in the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor gene is associated ​with an overall 25-fold increased risk of lung cancer, according to a study that looked at data from more than 3.3 million ​people in the 23andMe genetic database.

The mutation, called EGFR T790M, was associated with 10 times higher odds of developing ⁠lung cancer among smokers. Among never-smokers, carriers of the mutation were more than 60 times as likely to develop lung cancer as people without it, ​the researchers reported in Science.