Is There An Impact on Lung Cancer Survival because of COPD?

Lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are both diseases that are heterogeneous and diverse, with different pathological changes, clinical manifestations and outcomes for those afflicted by them. So, as researchers investigated the association between COPD phenotypes -- characteristics of an individual resulting from the interaction of its genotype with the environment -- and the prognosis of different types of lung cancer, they found that COPD and emphysema were independent risk factors for squamous carcinoma only.

The researchers had speculated that the diverse nature of the two diseases played an “important role in the relationship between COPD and lung cancer prognosis,” the researchers found.

The study included individuals with a newly and pathologically confirmed diagnosis of lung cancer who were preparing for lung cancer surgery. These individuals also underwent a pulmonary function test and diagnosis of COPD was determined based on the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) Guidelines.

Of the 2,222 lung cancer patients, 32.6 percent were found to also have COPD. After adjustment for age, sex, body mass index, smoking status and therapy method, COPD was significantly associated with the decreased overall survival of lung cancer. With the increased severity of COPD, the overall survival of lung cancer gradually worsened.

In terms of disease heterogeneity, emphysema was an independent prognostic risk factor for squamous carcinoma, and no significant relationship between COPD and lung cancer prognosis was observed among adenocarcinoma, small cell lung cancer, large cell lung cancer and other subtype patients.

According to AJMC, there have been conflicting results from previous studies about whether or not COPD affects lung cancer survival. The researchers involved with this latest study said that to their knowledge this current study is the largest to date that examines this specific issue.

Unfortunately, per the findings, the five-year overall survival rates of lung cancers with COPD were significantly lower than that of lung cancers without COPD. The results were higher than the overall five-year survival in overall lung cancer population,but were consistent with overall survival rates in patients undergoing surgery

Click here to read the whole article om the AJMC site.