Pope Leo XIV has been diagnosed with lung cancer after a scheduled surgery, the Vatican announced Tuesday.
asserted
Vatican → diagnose → surgery
After undergoing thoracic surgery, where surgeons removed the lower lobe of the Pope’s right lung, examination of the tissue confirmed the diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma.
asserted
examination → undergo → adenocarcinoma
The diagnosis had been suspected based on testing conducted before the procedure, according to the Holy See Press Office.
uncertain
diagnosis → suspect → Office
The Pope reportedly does not smoke and does not have a known history of smoking.
uncertain
Pope → smoke → smoking
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that most lung cancer deaths (80%) are caused by smoking.
asserted
deaths → indicate → smoking
Lung adenocarcinoma is the most common type of lung cancer, representing about 40% of all lung cancers in the U.S., according to the Lung Cancer Foundation of America.
uncertain
adenocarcinoma → represent → America
In an interview with Fox News Digital, Lary Robinson, M.D., an oncologist at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida, shared his surprise regarding the Pope’s health status, as the lung nodule was "felt to be malignant."
About 80% of lung cancers occur in people who smoke or have smoked, said Robinson, who has not treated the Pope.
asserted
who → share → Pope
However, he noted that lung cancer also occurs among never-smokers — including an estimated 10% of male patients and 25% of female patients.
asserted
cancer → note → patients
"But [the Pope] had surgery and had a lobectomy, so this is usually only done with people who have localized disease, and presumably he had localized disease.
asserted
he → have → disease
And hopefully that's a stage 1 cancer," the doctor added.
asserted
doctor → add → ?
If the Pope’s cancer is stage 1, there is a "high chance" of cure — about 90%, depending on the size of the tumor, the oncologist said.
asserted
oncologist → be → tumor
The fact that he went straight to surgery suggests there was likely no evidence that the cancer had spread.
uncertain
cancer → go → surgery
"We'll have to wait for the pathology to determine … whether he had a stage 1 cancer and whether he needs any additional treatment afterward," Robinson said.
asserted
Robinson → have → treatment
"Size matters in lung nodules and lung cancer – the larger the cancer, the worse outlook it is, because it's more likely to be advanced and have spread.
asserted
it → matter → nodules
"
Risk factors for never-smokers
Not all lung cancer cases are caused by smoking.
asserted
cases → cause → smoking
Other factors like family history and genetic predisposition can play a role, experts say.
asserted
experts → play → role
Recent research discovered that a rare genetic mutation in the gene EGFR T790M increased lung cancer risk by 25 times compared with people who did not have the mutation, according to findings published in the journal Science.
uncertain
who → discover → journal
Among people who had never smoked, carriers of the mutation had about 62 times the odds of lung cancer compared with never-smokers who were not carriers.
asserted
who → smoke → smokers
Robinson added that other types of smoking, like pipes and cigars, can increase the risk of lung cancer, as well as heavy use of marijuana.
asserted
types → add → marijuana
Another risk factor is exposure to environmental toxins, such as diesel exhaust and radon, according to the oncologist.
uncertain
factor → accord → oncologist
"Unfortunately, probably over half of the people who are never-smokers with lung cancer come into stage 4 disease," Robinson said.
asserted
Robinson → come → disease
"And that's higher than people who are smokers or former smokers, so they start out at a worse stage in general.
asserted
they → start → stage
In most cases, early-stage lung cancer will not come with any symptoms, according to Robinson.
uncertain
cancer → come → Robinson
In those who do have symptoms, however, the most common are related to the lungs, including a persistent cough, shortness of breath or coughing up blood.
asserted
common → have → blood
Unexplained weight loss can result from any form of cancer, the oncologist noted.
asserted
oncologist → result → cancer
Neurological symptoms, like persistent headaches, may also warrant seeing a doctor.
uncertain
symptoms → warrant → doctor
Lung cancer is rare in younger adults, which is why annual CT screening is generally recommended starting at age 50 for those at high risk, the doctor said.
asserted
doctor → recommend → risk
People considered at high risk include current smokers with at least a 20 pack-year history, as well as former smokers who quit within the past 15 years.
asserted
who → consider → years
"Only about 15% of the people who are eligible get screened, unfortunately," Robinson said.
asserted
Robinson → screen → people
"I'm hoping that within four or five years, a screening CT scan will only be confirmatory after they have a positive blood test done at your doctor's office."
asserted
test → hop → office
That approach could make screening easier and potentially help detect more lung cancers, according to the doctor.
uncertain
screening → make → doctor
The Aporia
