“Historically, lung cancer was synonymous with smoking, but we’re seeing more cases in younger, healthy people who don’t smoke,” says Daniel J. Dammrich, MD, an oncologist at the Northwestern Medicine Catherine Gratz Griffin Lake Forest Hospital. “Environmental factors like air pollution, radon exposure and genetic mutations are likely contributors, but we don’t fully understand why. What we do know is that early detection saves lives.”

An Athlete’s Shocking Diagnosis

For Kevin Humphrey, a young endurance athlete and father of two from Traverse City, Michigan, lung cancer was the last thing on his mind.

In early 2024, while training for an Ironman triathlon, Kevin developed a persistent cough, shortness of breath and back pain. He was treated for pneumonia, but his symptoms lingered.

Seeking answers, Kevin scheduled an appointment with Jessica D. Johnson, MD, a pulmonologist at Northwestern Medicine Canning Thoracic Institute at Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital, not far from where Kevin’s parents live in Crystal Lake, Illinois. To better understand what may be causing Kevin’s symptoms, Dr. Johnson performed a robotic bronchoscopy in April 2024.

Shortly after, Kevin received a shocking diagnosis — stage 4 non-small cell adenocarcinoma, a form of lung cancer.

“I almost blacked out when I heard the words ‘lung cancer,’” says Kevin. “I’ve never smoked a day in my life.”

Dr. Johnson referred Kevin to Dr. Dammrich for further evaluation and lung cancer treatment.

Targeted Treatment and Surgery

“The initial plan was to remove the entire left lung. I think that was probably the second most shocking piece of it,” Kevin says. “What I've loved doing for the last 10 years was endurance sports and running and biking. I had no idea if I'd be doing that ever again.”

Further testing revealed Kevin’s cancer carried an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) genetic mutation, enabling physicians to use a targeted therapy called osimertinib. Prescribed in conjunction with chemotherapy, the treatments began shrinking the tumor that was in and around his left lung.

“We were able to shrink down the tumor considerably. When we looked at his scans, and because he's so young and robust, we thought that we may be able to go in and surgically remove the rest,” says Dr. Dammrich. The care team’s new surgical recommendation was to remove only the upper lobe of the left lung, which would help Kevin maintain his active lifestyle.

Dr. Dammrich referred Kevin to Ankit Bharat, MD, chief of Thoracic Surgery and director of Canning Thoracic Institute. On September 13, 2024, Dr. Bharat removed a large section of the upper lobe and a couple smaller cancerous sections.

Today, Kevin shows no evidence of disease and continues getting targeted therapy.

Back to the Finish Line

Despite losing lung capacity, Kevin set an ambitious goal: complete an Ironman triathlon one year after surgery.

On September 14, 2025, one year and a day after surgery, he crossed the Michigan 70.3 Ironman finish line in five hours and 27 minutes.

Several weeks later, Kevin ran the Chicago Marathon. While this was his sixth time completing the 26.2-mile course, it was the first time he ran the race without a portion of his left lung.

“I have two young boys,” he says. “I wanted to show them that life throws challenges at you, but you push through. Setting those goals gave me something to fight for every day.”

Lung Cancer With No Smoking History

While smoking remains the top risk factor, the rise in lung cancer among people who have no history of smoking is concerning.

Adenocarcinoma, the most common type of lung cancer in people who don’t smoke, accounts for nearly 60% of lung cancers in women and 45% in men. Experts cite air pollution, radon and genetic mutations as key drivers of this trend.

“Listen to your body. If you have a persistent cough or unexplained symptoms, seek care,” Dr. Dammrich says. “Early detection is critical — and with advances in targeted therapies, there is hope.”

Kevin echoes that message: “Advocate for yourself. Push for answers. There’s hope with today’s treatments, but you have to catch it early.”

Learn more about lung cancer screening.