Mary Grecco

DocwireNews

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide and up to five times more likely to occur in smokers with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) than those with normal lung function. Results of a study that investigated the overlap between patients with COPD and patients examined on suspicion of lung cancer over a 10-year period in southern Denmark were presented at the ESMO Congress 2023.Among a total of 25,647 patients with COPD, 5030 (20%) were referred for lung cancer diagnostics and 1551 were diagnosed with lung cancer, corresponding to a lung cancer incidence of 6% among all patients with COPD and 31% among COPD patients referred for lung cancer diagnostics. Results showed that COPD patients who were referred for lung cancer diagnostics were generally more affected by COPD compared with the group not referred. Referred patients also collected more COPD-related medication, performed worse in terms of lung function (forced expiratory volume in one second, 1%-48% vs 50%), suffered from a higher grade of dyspnea (Medical Research Council Scale for Muscle Strength score of 3-5, 71% vs 57%), and experienced a higher rate of exacerbations (42% vs 31% with 2-3 exacerbations) compared with COPD patients who were not referred for lung cancer diagnostics (P&lt;.05 for all).&nbsp; The researchers also found that among all patients who underwent lung cancer diagnostics, COPD patients displayed a higher prevalence of lung cancer compared with the non-COPD patients (31% vs 29%; P&lt;.005). Patients with lung cancer and COPD were more likely to be stage I-II compared with patients with lung cancer without COPD (39% vs 24%; P&lt;.05).This study revealed a substantial overlap between patients with COPD and patients undergoing lung cancer diagnostics (20%). &ldquo;It suggests that patients more affected by COPD are more likely to undergo lung cancer diagnostics, and lung cancer patients with COPD are more likely to be diagnosed in early stages,&rdquo; researchers concluded. &ldquo;It underlines the overrepresentation of lung cancer patients among patients with COPD and emphasizes the need to address these patients specifically once initiating a screening program.&rdquo;Source: Henriksen MB, Jensen LH, Hilberg O, et al. Lung cancer among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a Danish 10-year observational study of the overlapping population. Abstract of a poster presented at the ESMO Congress 2023; October 20-24, 2023; Madrid, Spain.

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A study investigated the overlap between patients with COPD and patients examined on suspicion of lung cancer.

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