Who Is Pope Leo XIV?

My VIP for this week is Cope Leo XIV, leader of the Catholic Church. There are two reasons for choosing him: (1) He holds a prominent position in the world and (2) his lung cancer.

According to an article by Lois M. Collins, Pope Leo XIV’s lung cancer diagnosis and surgery remind everyone of the dangers of lung cancer. Here are her three points to remember: (1) People who haven’t smoked can develop lung cancer. (2) Early detection can make a major difference. (3) Often there are no early symptoms of lung cancer. The article continued as follows. 

Friday, Dr. John Stringham, an Intermountain Health thoracic and oncology surgeon, briefed the media on other risk factors.

The American Cancer Society estimates just under 125,000 people die from lung cancer each year in the U.S., including smokers, former smokers and people who never smoked. While smoking is still responsible for most cases, between 15% and 20% of lung cancer cases are found in people who have never smoked, according to a 2025 JAMA study. [One of my brothers-in-law was not a smoker, but he had lung cancer.]

The pope’s cancer, which was pulmonary adenocarcinoma – a common form of non-small cell lung cancer – was found at the early stage and biopsied during surgery so those treating him said they were able to remove the lower lobe of his right lung.

It’s likely the surgeon removed nearby lymph nodes to make sure it hadn’t spread, as well, said Stringham, who was not involved in the pope’s treatment. He said reports suggest that surgery is likely the only treatment he will need. When cancer has spread to lymph nodes, “then we usually do talk about chemotherapy, sometimes radiation for those folks.”

In cases where the cancer is contained, Stringham said there’s an estimated 80% to 90% cancer-specific survival rate at five years. When lung cancer has metastasized, which means it spread to other parts of the body, the survival rate at the five-year benchmark drops.

Stringham also noted that the pontiff, who is 71, is physically active and known to swim and play tennis. “Most likely he’s going to have a good recovery if everything goes according to plan,” though he’ll be monitored. “most likely he’ll be going through CT scans for at least five years to make sure nothing comes back,” the doctor said.

Detected early, the recurrence rate is “actually pretty low,” he said. And those patients “recover from lung cancer surgery pretty well and pretty easily. I definitely have had patients where we take out a lower lob and t hey have gone on to do marathons, for example.”

About lung cancer and risks

But there’s a lot to know about lung cancer, which often is not diagnosed until it is much more advanced than that of the pope. Early cases are usually detected – as they were in his case – through an imaging test for something else.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the world, including in the U.S. Stringham said lung cancer is divided into two categories: small ell and non-small cell. Small cell lung cancers are more aggressive and spread more quickly, while non-small cell cancers are most typical and also more treatable.

The two main types of non-small cell are squamous-cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma – Pope Leo’s diagnosis – which is the most common among nonsmokers with lung cancer. Early-stage non-small cell lung cancers are typically treated with surgery as the mainstay, he said. A lobe is removed. If it had spread, there are other treatments that are “becoming more and more effective” due to better technology and better understanding of cancer. Early-stage non-small cell lung cancers are typically treated with surgery as the mainstay, he said. A lobe is removed. If it had spread, there are other treatments that are “becoming more and more effective” due to better technology and better understanding of cancer. It’s possible to look at the actual molecules cancers are expressing and use those molecules against them with immunotherapy, among other options.

Stringham urged smokers to stop smoking now and to stop “putting things in your lungs that shouldn’t be there.” However, there are other risks, including “secondhand smoke, exposure to substances such as solvents, chemicals, radon, and pollution.

“There are also genetic factors for lung cancer, including inherited mutations that pass down through the family.” Vaping is also a risk factor for lung cancer. Stringham suggested “wearing respiratory protection when working around pollutants, chemicals and irritants and keeping the area well ventilated. One should also “take care of yourself: exercise, eating well, seeing a doctor and other typical well-being advice all help ensure a person is as healthy as possible.

Detection and prevention

One of the challenges with lung cancer is that symptoms don’t really show up early. “Very often, lung cancer really doesn’t have any symptoms whatsoever,” according to Stringham, who noted maybe a cough sometimes or some sputum production. “But often it’s really quite asymptomatic until you actually get to a much higher stage….

When lung cancer spreads, it most often goes to lymph nodes in the middle of the chest, then outwards, though not always. After that, it can go “pretty much anywhere in the body,” he said, noting the spine and brain are not uncommon. Sometimes, it doesn’t go to the lymph nodes but does spread elsewhere….

Screening for smokers and former smokers

Lung cancer screening is now recommended for smokers and former smokers, using low-dose CT scan to make sure there are no nodules.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends annual screening for adults ages 50-80 with at least a “20 pack-year” smoking history who currently smoke or quit within the past 15 years. That means 20 cigarettes a day for 20 years or an equivalent amount.

It’s not recommended for others, who “don’t qualify for it at this time.” …