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A rare genetic variant raises lung cancer risk 25-fold in people who have never smoked

9/17/2026

Researchers have identified a rare genetic variant tied to a 25-fold increase in lung cancer odds among people who have never smoked, according to a study published Thursday in the journal Science.

A genetic variant is a small, inherited difference in DNA that some people carry and others do not.

The discovery adds a concrete biological factor to a pattern that has puzzled scientists for years: nonsmokers now account for a growing share of lung cancer diagnoses. What the research found The short version is this.

Scientists have known that never-smokers are increasingly showing up in lung cancer statistics, but pinning down the reasons has been difficult.