The passing of Dana Reeve from lung cancer, a woman of phenomenal spirit, is an immeasurable loss of beauty and goodness in this world. Dana Reeve, diagnosed with lung cancer, never smoked. According to Indiana University School of Medicine's Dr. Larry Einhorn, Reeve did not fit the typical profile of a lung cancer patient. However, lung cancer diagnosis for young non-smoking women is rising at an alarming rate. Einhorn feels the trend is a disturbing one and is not sure of the causes. He does believe second-hand smoke may be one of the factors contributing to the increase of lung cancer among young women. 

"The same amount of tobacco exposure is more likely to lead to the changes that cause lung cancer in a woman than the male counterpart who gets the same second-hand exposure. Now, why that is, no one knows," stated Dr. Einhorn, the famous oncologist who treated Lance Armstrong for cancer.

Einhorn goes on to say, "It's sometimes too easy to say that this could be due to second-hand smoke. Probably some of the cases are due to second-hand smoke, but I would guess that the majority of them are unknown as to why these young healthy women like Dana Reeve develop this terrible disease and then succumb to lung cancer."