A researcher at Stanford University School of Medicine has been diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer, even though he has never smoked.
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According to the Stanford Medicine blog Scope, Dr. Bryant Lin was diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer, often referred to as never-smoker lung cancer, in early May.
The shocking news came just weeks before his 50th birthday.
Per The Stanford Daily, Lin, co-founder of Stanford’s Center for Asian Health Research and Education (CARE), has devoted much of his career to studying lung cancer, particularly in Asian American non-smokers.
“I never would’ve thought that I would have this cancer, or become the poster child for my center working on this cancer,” Lin admitted to Yahoo! Life.
How the Researcher Came to be Diagnosed with Lung Cancer
Lin said he first noticed a persistent cough and a tight feeling in his throat that lasted about five to six weeks in the spring.
After seeking advice from an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) physician colleague, Lin was urged to undergo a chest X-ray. The results revealed “opacity in the lungs, indicating infection or cancer,” according to Yahoo! Life. Following this, Lin underwent a CT scan and a bronchoscopy to further examine his lung tissue.
In under two weeks, Lin received a diagnosis and promptly began treatment.
Fifteen to 20 percent of lung cancer cases occur in non-smokers. This is often due to a gene mutation that predominantly affects Asian women, according to Scope.
“About 50 percent of nonsmoker Asians [with lung cancer] have this mutation, and less than 20% of non-Hispanic whites have it,” Lin explained to Yahoo! Life. “We don’t really know why Asians get this mutation more than other groups.”
Dr. Bryant Lin’s Ongoing Cancer Treatment Regime
Lin shared that he is taking Osimertinib, a targeted daily pill that attacks mutated cancer cells with fewer side effects due to its precision.
“I feel great. I’m lucky that I’m doing so well clinically and in terms of quality of life,” he told Yahoo! Life.
However, the researcher continues to undergo regular chemotherapy treatments every few weeks.
“The downside is that eventually, the cancer can develop resistance to this targeted treatment,” Lin admitted.
Meanwhile, Lin started teaching a class called “MED 275: From Diagnosis to Dialogue: A Doctor’s Real-Time Battle with Cancer.”
“I’m not sure how long I have. One year? Two years? Five years?” Lin candidly said to his students, per Scope. “In a way, this class is part of my letter — what I’m doing to give back to my community as I go through this.”