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News
Never smoked but still at risk? A rare inherited mutation in the EGFR gene makes non-smokers over 60 times more likely to develop lung cancer, a massive study found. Meanwhile, a new trial shows that a quick dose of local anesthetic before IUD insertion can meaningfully cut pain — potentially changing how the procedure is done worldwide.
A landmark study using data from over 3.3 million people in the 23andMe database has identified a rare inherited mutation — EGFR T790M — that dramatically raises the risk of lung cancer, especially in people who have never smoked. Researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute found that non-smokers carrying this variant were more than 60 times as likely to develop lung cancer compared to those without it. The mutation was not linked to any of 17 other cancers studied, suggesting its effects are largely lung-specific.
This discovery opens the door to genetic-based lung cancer screening — a major shift from the current model, which relies almost entirely on smoking history. Experts say this could allow high-risk non-smokers to be monitored more intensively and caught earlier.
Also in the news: A clinical trial of 370 women who had never given birth found that injecting the local anesthetic mepivacaine into the uterus before IUD insertion significantly reduced pain during the procedure.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: Both findings carry real-world clinical weight — one could reshape who gets screened for lung cancer, and the other could make a widely used contraceptive procedure far more accessible and comfortable for patients globally.
