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Don’t smoke? An unlucky trait can increase your lung cancer risk by 62 times

Nypost · · 519 words · By Mary Connelly
Pharmaceutical Treatments Genetic Predisposition Medical Screening
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What to know about Pharmaceutical Treatments

An unlucky trait can increase your lung cancer risk by 62 times See more of our coverage in your search results.

Claims checked 13
Techniques found 2
Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left0%
Center50%
Right50%

2 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

An unlucky trait can increase your lung cancer risk by 62 times See more of our coverage in your search results.

Why it matters

Smoking is a huge risk factor for lung cancer — but it’s not the only one.

Common ground

Researchers have found an alarming trait that can skyrocket a person’s risk of developing this deadly disease.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Exaggeration / Hyperbole: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://nypost.com/2026/09/24/health/an-unlucky-trait-can-increase-your-lung-can…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 2 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning
Loaded Language 80% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.
warning
Exaggeration / Hyperbole 70% confidence
Overstating facts or claims to create a stronger emotional response.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing exaggeration / hyperbole helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 13 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 7
schedule Pending 3
help Insufficient Evidence 2
verified Verified 1
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Claim 1: “This dangerous disease is also the prime cause of cancer deaths in both men and women, according to the American Cancer Society”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources confirm that lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in both men and women.
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web search NEUTRAL — Lung cancer remains the most deadly cancer, with more fatalities than breast, prostate, and colorectal cancers combined. According to various health organizations, it consistently ranks as the number …
https://brainly.com/question/60955258
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web search NEUTRAL — In the United States, lung cancer is the second most common type of cancer in both men and women, and the leading cause of cancer deaths, accounting for almost 25 percent of cancer deaths.
https://healthtalk.unchealthcare.org/she-was-39-never-smoked…
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web search NEUTRAL — Lung cancer surpasses pancreatic, ovarian and other types of aggressive cancer as the leading cause of cancer deaths in both women and men.
https://www.uvahealth.com/healthy-balance/lung-cancer-women-…
schedule
Claim 2: “Scientists have developed different therapies used to go after EGFR-mutated lung cancer, including AstraZeneca’s Tagrisso and Johnson & Johnson’s Rybrevant”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
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Claim 3: “a rare inherited germline mutation can increase lung cancer risk by 62 times in non-smokers”
CORROBORATED
Multiple web search results explicitly state that never-smokers with the EGFR T790M mutation were more than 60 times (specifically cited as 'more than 60 times' or '60 times') as likely to develop lung cancer.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — 62 may refer to: 62 (number), the natural number following 61 and preceding 63 one of the years 62 BC, AD 62, 1962, 2062 The international calling code for Indonesia Maybach 62, an ultra-luxury car M…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/62
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The RK 62 (Finnish: Rynnäkkökivääri 62, lit. 'Assault rifle 62'), officially 7.62 RK 62 and commercially M62, is an assault rifle manufactured by Valmet and Sako. It is the standard issue infantry wea…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RK_62
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The T-62 is a Soviet main battle tank that was first introduced in 1961. As a further development of the T-55 series, the T-62 retained many similar design elements of its predecessor including low pr…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T-62
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Claim 4: “lung cancer — which is the second most common cancer in the US”
CORROBORATED
Three independent web search results, citing the American Cancer Society, confirm that lung cancer is the second most common cancer in both men and women in the US.
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web search NEUTRAL — Lung cancer is the second most common cancer in both men and women in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society.These "accidental" cancer diagnoses among young, nonsmoker patients ar…
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/lung-cancer-becoming-mor…
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web search NEUTRAL — In the United States, lung cancer is the second most common type of cancer in both men and women, and the leading cause of cancer deaths, accounting for almost 25 percent of cancer deaths. Most of the…
https://healthtalk.unchealthcare.org/she-was-39-never-smoked…
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web search NEUTRAL — According to the American Cancer Society, lung cancer (both small cell and non-small cell) is the second most common cancer in both men and women in the United States (not counting skin cancer).
https://www.newsweek.com/scientists-studied-lung-cancer-pati…
schedule
Claim 5: “in August, BlossomHill announced a macrocyclic molecule that targets EGFR, called BH-30643”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
verified
Claim 6: “Researchers studied 23andMe genotyping data across 3.37 million people and found the mutation to be prevalent in one in 15,850 individuals”
VERIFIED
The ASCO Post specifically reports the finding that the EGFR T790M germline variant was found in 1 out of 15,850 individuals based on the study data.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR; ErbB-1; HER1 in humans) is a transmembrane protein that is a receptor for members of the epidermal growth factor family (EGF family) of extracellular protei…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epidermal_growth_factor_recept…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Erlotinib, sold under the brand name Tarceva among others, is a medication used to treat non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and pancreatic cancer. Specifically it is used for NSCLC with mutations in t…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erlotinib
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Targeted covalent inhibitors (TCIs) or Targeted covalent drugs are rationally designed inhibitors that bind and then bond to their target proteins. These inhibitors possess a bond-forming functional g…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Targeted_covalent_inhibitors
+ 3 more evidence sources
schedule
Claim 7: “EGFR mutation-positive lung cancer accounts for around 10% to 15% of lung cancers in the US, with an increased occurrence in Asian populations, according to the American Lung Association”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
help
Claim 8: “Tobacco smoking... heightens lung cancer risk by four times in the general population”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
The claim states smoking increases risk by four times, but authoritative evidence from the CDC states that people who smoke are 15 to 30 times more likely to get lung cancer or die from it than non-smokers.
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web search NEUTRAL — May 18, 2026 · People who smoke cigarettes are 15 to 30 times more likely to get lung cancer or die from lung cancer than people who do not smoke. Even smoking a few cigarettes a day or smoking occasi…
https://www.cdc.gov/lung-cancer/risk-factors/index.html
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web search NEUTRAL — Sep 17, 2024 · Smoking can cause cancer almost anywhere in the body. Quitting smoking lowers the risk for 12 different cancers and also benefits people diagnosed with cancer. Cancer refers to diseases…
https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/about/cigarettes-and-cancer.html
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web search NEUTRAL — Over the last decade, smoking also has emerged as a strong prognostic and predictive patient characteristic along with other variables. This article briefly reviews scientific facts about tobacco, and…
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3749017/
help
Claim 9: “The T790M mutation originated in Southern Appalachian populations in the US about 200 to 225 years ago”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in the provided search results or Wikipedia entries regarding the geographic origin or age of the T790M mutation in Southern Appalachian populations.
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Claim 10: “EGFR is a protein that controls how cells grow and divide”
CORROBORATED
Web search results explicitly describe EGFR as a protein on the surface of cells that controls how cells grow and divide.
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web search NEUTRAL — The epidermal growth factor receptor (known as EGFR) is a type of protein present on the surface of some cells, which controls how cells grow and divide. Mutations in the EGFR gene can result in the d…
https://murex.mahidol.ac.th/en/publications/a-plain-language…
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web search NEUTRAL — EGF binds to its receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR), which is located on the surface of cells. This binding triggers a conformational change in the EGFR, leading to its activation. The …
https://brainly.com/question/3471899
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a member of the receptor tyrosine kinase family that plays a role in multiple cellular processes. Activation of EGFR requires binding of a ligand on the …
https://www.academia.edu/91640144/Molecular_Determinants_of_…
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Claim 11: “the T790M mutation only exhibited a significant association with lung cancer [among 17 cancers and nonpulmonary conditions evaluated]”
CORROBORATED
One of the web search results explicitly states that EGFR T790M carriers 'seemed to only have an increased risk of developing lung cancer' without evidence of increased risk for other conditions evaluated in the study.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Aumolertinib, sold under the brand name Ameile among others, is an anti-cancer medication used for the treatment of lung cancer. It is an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibi…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aumolertinib
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Firmonertinib (previously referred to as alflutinib and furmonertinib) is targeted drug that that is approved in China for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The originator of the …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firmonertinib
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Osimertinib, sold under the brand name Tagrisso, is a medication used to treat non-small-cell lung carcinomas with specific mutations. It is a third-generation epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosin…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osimertinib
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Claim 12: “the T790M mutation in the epidermal growth factor receptor gene is strongly related to lung cancer risk”
CORROBORATED
Multiple web sources and Wikipedia (T790M entry) confirm the association between the EGFR T790M mutation and lung cancer risk.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Aumolertinib, sold under the brand name Ameile among others, is an anti-cancer medication used for the treatment of lung cancer. It is an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibi…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aumolertinib
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Osimertinib, sold under the brand name Tagrisso, is a medication used to treat non-small-cell lung carcinomas with specific mutations. It is a third-generation epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosin…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osimertinib
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — T790M, also known as Thr790Met, is a gatekeeper mutation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). The mutation substitutes a threonine (T) with a methionine (M) at position 790 of exon 20, aff…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T790M
+ 3 more evidence sources
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Claim 13: “Smokers with this mutation are 25 times more likely to develop the disease”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent web sources report that carriers of the EGFR T790M mutation have approximately a 25-fold increased risk of lung cancer.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Erlotinib, sold under the brand name Tarceva among others, is a medication used to treat non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and pancreatic cancer. Specifically it is used for NSCLC with mutations in t…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erlotinib
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Gefitinib, sold under the brand name Iressa, is a medication used for certain breast, lung and other cancers. Gefitinib is an EGFR inhibitor, like erlotinib, which interrupts signaling through the epi…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gefitinib
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Lung cancer is a malignant tumor that originates in the tissues of the lungs. Lung cancer is caused by genetic damage to the DNA of cells in the airways, often caused by cigarette smoking or inhaling …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lung_cancer
+ 3 more evidence sources
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.