From COPD to Lung Cancer: Mechanisms Linking, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prognosis

Abstract

Many studies have proved that the pathogenesis of the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer is related, and may cause and affect each other to a certain extent. In fact, the change of chronic airway obstruction will continue to have an impact on the screening, treatment, and prognosis of lung cancer.In this comprehensive review, we outlined the links and heterogeneity between COPD and lung cancer and finds that factors such as gene expression and genetic susceptibility, epigenetics, smoking, epithelial mesenchymal transformation (EMT), chronic inflammation, and oxidative stress injury may all play a role in the process. Although the relationship between these two diseases have been largely determined, the methods to prevent lung cancer in COPD patients are still limited. Early diagnosis is still the key to a better prognosis. Thus, it is necessary to establish more intuitive screening evaluation criteria and find suitable biomarkers for lung cancer screening in high-risk populations with COPD. Some studies have indicated that COPD may change the efficacy of anti-tumor therapy by affecting the response of lung cancer patients to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). And for lung cancer patients with COPD, the standardized management of COPD can improve the prognosis. The treatment of lung cancer patients with COPD is an individualized, comprehensive, and precise process. The development of new targets and new strategies of molecular targeted therapy may be the breakthrough for disease treatment in the future.

Ginsenosides: a potential natural medicine to protect the lungs from lung cancer and inflammatory lung disease

“…For example, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a comorbidity of lung cancer and its pathogenesis is closely related to lung cancer. 4 Patients with COPD have a higher risk of developing lung cancer, which increases the incidence and mortality of lung cancer. 5 Studies have revealed that the mechanisms linking COPD and lung cancer may involve factors such as smoking, genetic susceptibility, epigenetics, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), chronic inflammation and oxidative stress damage.…”

“…5 Studies have revealed that the mechanisms linking COPD and lung cancer may involve factors such as smoking, genetic susceptibility, epigenetics, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), chronic inflammation and oxidative stress damage. 4,5 As a result, developing a COPD drug that also targets lung cancer is a current therapeutic goal. Additionally, people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) develop lung cancer five times more often than the general population.…”

“…10 Since lung cancer has a poor prognosis, with 5-year survival rates ranging from 4% to 17%, there is an urgent need to develop effective drugs for the treatment of lung cancer. 4,11 Acute lung injury (ALI) is mainly caused by pneumonia and leads to high morbidity and mortality. 12 At present, except for standard therapies such as mechanical ventilation, some anti-inflammatory modulating drugs such as corticosteroids (e.g.…”

Comprehensive analysis of the clinical and prognostic significance of SFRP1 and PRKCB expression in non-small cell lung cancer: a retrospective analysis

“…Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for approximately 80–85% of all lung cancer cases (Imyanitov et al ., 2021). Owing to the fact that lung cancer is often detected at an advanced stage (Lee and Kazerooni, 2022), even after receiving advanced treatments such as targeted therapy, chemoradiotherapy, and combination chemotherapy, the survival rates of patients are still unfavorable (Qi et al ., 2022). Therefore, it is essential to explore the possible prognostic biomarkers for lung cancer.…”

OTU deubiquitinase 7B facilitates the hyperthermia‐induced inhibition of lung cancer progression through enhancing Smac‐mediated mitochondrial dysfunction

“…Lung cancer has the highest mortality rate among all tumors. Small‐cell lung cancer (SCLC) and non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are the two major subtypes, accounting for 15% and 85% of all lung cancers, respectively 1 . On average, about 2.2 million people are diagnosed with lung cancer every year, with 75% deaths 2 .…”