Dr. Pelosof on the Increasing Incidence of Never Smokers in NSCLC

Lorraine Pelosof, MD, PhD, assistant professor, Division of Hematology/Oncology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, discusses a study looking at the incidence of never smokers diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

It’s known that 10-15% of patients with NSCLC are never smokers. Whether or not this proportion is increasing, Pelosof says, has been up for debate. This study analyzed about 10,000 patients with NSCLC and 1,500 patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and found that the proportion of never smokers in NSCLC is increasing, but has remained constant in SCLC.

Pelosof says it’s understood that the biology of non-smokers and smokers is different. This study speaks to what further work needs to be done and how care should be directed.

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