Association of COPD and Lung Cancer: How Does COPD Management Change the Outcome of Treatment of Lung Cancer?

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer are caused by cigarette smoking, and there is increasing evidence linking the two diseases beyond a common etiology. COPD is widely considered to be a preneoplastic condition of smoking-related lung cancer. However, COPD is an independent risk factor for lung cancer and suggests some selected COPD phenotype in high-risk patients associates the development of lung cancer. Lung cancer patients with COPD have a significantly worse outcome than those without COPD. Thus, screening of patients with COPD for early detection of lung cancer using biomarkers and computed tomography has been suggested to improve outcomes. However, this approach of increased surveillance is hampered by the lack of sensitivity of treatment and the resulting large number of false-positive diagnoses. Improved understanding of the links between COPD and lung cancer and biomarkers that are more reliable may make this approach viable. In future, it may be possible to treat COPD patients with targeted therapies to reduce the risk of development of lung cancer.