An alarming rise in advanced lung cancer diagnoses among young women who have never smoked is prompting urgent concern among doctors and researchers, according to a report by KTLA 5 News in the United States.
The trend is drawing attention because lung cancer has traditionally been associated with long-term smoking, yet physicians are now seeing increasing numbers of younger, physically active, non-smoking women presenting with late-stage disease.
KTLA’s report highlighted the case of Dionne Harmon, a television producer known for working on major productions such as the Emmys and the Super Bowl halftime show. Harmon said she was shocked when doctors discovered a two-inch tumor in her lung.
“I felt good. I eat well and I run,” she said, noting she had completed three marathons before her diagnosis. “It was the last thing that I expected.”
Doctors say Harmon’s experience reflects a broader and troubling pattern. Dr. Graham Rosenberg, a surgeon at Keck Medicine of the University of Southern California, said lung cancer in younger patients is often a “silent disease,” producing few or no symptoms until it reaches an advanced and aggressive stage.
“Most lung cancers don’t hurt. They don’t give you a cough,” Rosenberg explained. “You don’t cough up blood until it’s advanced.”
Searching for causes beyond smoking
With smoking ruled out in many of these cases, researchers are investigating possible environmental and lifestyle factors. These include exposure to air pollution, radon, freeway fumes, and prolonged exposure to wildfire smoke, particularly in regions such as California that have experienced severe wildfire seasons.
Oncologists are also examining the potential role of chemicals found in food, produce, and packaging materials. Dr. Jorge Nieva, an oncologist at Keck Medicine, noted that women may have different exposure patterns than men.
“Women tend to eat more fruits and vegetables, more leafy greens than men do,” he said, adding that pesticide exposure could be one area of difference being studied.
Despite the uncertainty around causes, the scale of the disease remains stark. According to the American Cancer Society, more than 120,000 women in the United States die from lung cancer each year, a figure that exceeds deaths from breast, cervical, and ovarian cancers combined.
Advances in treatment offer hope
While the rise in cases is worrying, doctors point to significant progress in treatment. Harmon, diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer, did not require chemotherapy or radiation. Instead, she was treated with a targeted daily pill.
One year after her diagnosis, she completed another marathon—this time in Paris—cheered on by family and friends at the finish line.
Physicians say her recovery underscores the importance of early detection research and continued investment in understanding non-smoking-related lung cancer, especially as diagnoses among younger women continue to rise.
