Risk of second primary lung cancer among lung cancer survivor who never smoked

Lung cancer among never-smokers accounts for 25% of all lung cancer in the US. Recent therapeutic advances have improved survival among patients with initial primary lung cancer (IPLC), who are at high risk of developing second primary lung cancer (SPLC). As smoning rates continue to decline in the US, it is critical to examine more closely the epidemiology of lung cancer among patients who never smoked, including their risk of SPLC. A cohort study of 211,414 participants found that the cumulative 10-year incidence of IPLC among ever-smokers was 7 times higher than among never-smokers. However thethe cumulative incidence of SPLC was as high among lung cancer survivors who never smoked as among those who ever smoked. The authors conclude that these results highlight the need to identify risk factors for SPLC among patients who never smoked and to develop a targeted surveillanc strategy.