News of note: The Pope’s lung cancer diagnosis

Key Takeaways:

• Lung adenocarcinoma is one of the more common type of lung cancer.
• It is very treatable when caught in its earliest stages.
• Lobectomy – removal of one of the lobes of the lung – is a curative treatment for stage 1 disease.
• The five-year survival rate is 80 to 90 percent.

On Oct. 13, the Holy See Press Office announced that Pope Leo XIV underwent surgery to remove the lower lobe of his right lung, which confirmed the diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma.

Many people assume that lung cancer is a disease that only affects those who smoke, but the Pope isn’t a smoker.

With his diagnosis and Lung Cancer Awareness Month occurring every November, now is a good time talk about lung cancer, its diagnosis, treatments, and how you can decrease your risk of developing it.

What is lung adenocarcinoma?

This is one of the more common types of lung cancer. One of the big distinctions we make in lung cancer is whether it is small cell lung cancer or non-small cell lung cancer. You may see it also reported that he has non-small cell lung cancer. 

Is it common for non-smokers to be diagnosed with lung cancer?

Adenocarcinoma is one of the types of cancer in the lung that can happen commonly in people that are never smokers, but it depends on the patient population you’re talking about. 

In West Virginia, for example, 90 percent of our cases of lung cancer have a strong association with smoking history, either personally smoking or significant secondhand smoke exposure. 

That percentage goes down a little bit in women, where it’s closer to 80 percent of the cases.

That being said, it is possible to get lung cancer even in folks that never smoked. And as a pulmonologist, I always wonder, did they have some other risk factors, something they were exposed to? 

Occupational exposure also plays a risk in potentially developing lung cancer. We do recognize it in folks that have spent some time around the coal mines and those who have been exposed to radon and exposure to asbestos. 

If you have underlying lung diseases, like pulmonary fibrosis or COPD, those things can also increase the risk of lung cancer.

What are the symptoms?

Early on, it’s very nonspecific, meaning it can be very mild symptoms, maybe a little bit of fatigue, maybe a little bit of a cough later. 

If someone’s presenting with the alarming symptoms of losing weight without trying, coughing up blood, or sweating at night so badly that it soaks the bed sheets, then we are very worried about lung cancer, but in the early stages the symptoms are very nonspecific.

The Pope underwent a lobectomy. Is that the most common treatment for this form of cancer? 

That’s a best-case scenario. 

Both lungs have multiple lobes. Lobectomy is a surgical procedure where a thoracic surgeon would take out a single lobe of the lung. 

If you catch lung cancer early, particularly non-small cell lung cancer or adenocarcinoma like Pope Leo has, and you can treat it surgically, then that’s considered curative treatment.

Does it usually require chemo and/or radiation?

It depends on the stage. I don’t think they’ve officially released the stage of cancer that Pope Leo has, but if it is stage one, then no, he doesn’t need any chemotherapy or radiation.

What’s the prognosis when caught early like his?

The prognosis is great. If this is stage one disease, meaning it’s just limited to that lobe, and they cut it out and got good, clean surgical margins, the five-year survival is estimated between 80 and 90 percent. 

That means that of all people presenting with stage one disease who get this treatment, we would expect 80 to 90 percent of them to still be alive five years out.

What’s the likelihood of recurrence for this type of cancer?

For folks in a treatment pathway for non-small cell lung cancer, they get monitored for recurrence of disease. That’s part of follow-up care with the cancer specialist. It is less common if it’s caught at an early stage and treated with curative intent.

If you’re already a non-smoker, is there anything you can do to reduce your risk of lung cancer?

That’s a tough question. 

For folks who are former smokers, depending on the time you quit, you may still be eligible for lung cancer screening. That’s definitely something to talk to your healthcare provider about to see if you're eligible. 

Lung cancer screening is done with an annual low-dose CAT scan, doesn’t need any IVs or iodine or anything, and it’s done at a low dose, so it’s less radiation than a traditional CAT scan.

Far and away, the best thing that folks can do to decrease the risk of developing lung cancer is quit smoking. We have resources to help you to at least cut back and then hopefully quit altogether.

The secondary risk factors are a little bit harder to prevent.

But we think about radon inspection when we buy a new house. Radon is the number two cause of lung cancer. If you’re worried about this, you can buy radon detectors commercially.

Lung cancer care at the WVU Cancer Institute

In recent years, there have been significant advances in the treatment of lung cancer, which is the leading cause of cancer death. At the WVU Cancer Institute, we’re at the forefront of lung cancer prevention, screening, and treatment. 

As part of an academic health system, our robust clinical trials and research expand opportunities for participation in the latest lung cancer treatments.

The WVU Cancer Institute has been designated a Lung Cancer Screening Center by the American College of Radiology, and our Lung Cancer Surgery Program has been nationally recognized as high performing by U.S. News & World Report.

A lung cancer diagnosis can be frightening, but we provide some of the nation’s best cancer care. Here, you’ll find hope, compassion, and the expertise you need. For more information, visit our website here.