Show 1494: When Cancer Changes Your Future, How Do You Live Today?

Most of us fear a diagnosis of cancer. If it has a serious prognosis, as lung cancer does, the diagnosis suddenly changes your life expectancy and how you imagine your life unfolding. In this episode, we talk with a physician who did research with patients who had lung cancer. Then this nonsmoker was diagnosed with lung cancer himself, at stage 4. We ask him, when cancer changes your future, how do you live today?

At The People’s Pharmacy, we strive to bring you up‑to‑date, rigorously researched insights and conversations about health, medicine, wellness and health policies and health systems. While these conversations intend to offer insight and perspective, the content is provided solely for informational and educational purposes. Please consult your healthcare provider before making any changes to your medical care or treatment.

How You Can Listen

You could listen through your local public radio station or get the live stream at 7 am EST on Saturday, November 7, 2026, through your computer or smart phone (wunc.org). Here is a link so you can find which stations carry our broadcast. If you can’t listen to the broadcast, you may wish to hear the podcast later. You can subscribe through your favorite podcast provider, download the mp3 using the link at the bottom of the page, or listen to the stream on this post starting on Nov. 9, 2026.

A Diagnosis of Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is still the leading cause of cancer-related death in the US. Most people imagine that this dreaded malignancy results from smoking, but nearly 20% of lung cancer patients are nonsmokers. Possibly because of the association with smoking, there still appears to be a stigma attached to lung cancer. Perhaps the example of Pope Leo, a nonsmoker recently diagnosed and treated for lung cancer will help change that. While less well known than the pope, our guest Bryant Lin, MD, is also striving to set an example for how to react when cancer changes your future.

Better Screening for Lung Cancer?

The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) does not recommend screening the population for lung cancer. In fact, its recommendation is that only smokers undergo screening.

However, screening also makes sense for people with certain risk factors. Nonsmokers are at increased risk if there is lung cancer in their family tree. Asian women, in particular, may benefit from screening, as they have a higher likelihood of lung cancer despite not smoking. Scientists are not entirely certain