Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Lung cancer

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are at increased risk for both the development of primary lung cancer, as well as poor outcome after lung cancer diagnosis and treatment. Because of existing impairments in lung function, patients with COPD often do not meet traditional criteria for tolerance of definitive surgical lung cancer therapy. Emerging information with respect to the pathophysiology of COPD in lung resection demonstrates that postoperative decrements in lung capacity may be less than anticipated by traditional prediction tools. In patients with COPD, more inclusive consideration for surgical resection with curative intent might be appropriate as constrained surgical resections or nonsurgical therapeutic options provide inferior survival. Besides, optimizing perioperative COPD therapeutic care as indicated by clinical practice rules including smoking cessation can possibly minimize morbidity and enhance functional status in this often severely impaired patient population. Lung Conferences concentrates on the risk factor for development of lung cancer.