The following is a summary of “COPD detection in lung cancer screening programmes: “hitting two birds with one stone” published in the December 2022 issue of Respiratory by de-Torres et al.
Smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which are associated with a high prevalence rate and a significant burden of morbidity and death. Smoking is the primary cause of both lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Unfortuitously, there is a significant correlation between the presentation of symptoms and the accurate diagnosis of either of these disorders. This is because both of these conditions share a number of common symptoms. Because of this, the diagnosis of COPD is often made at a later age and at a more advanced stage of the illness, but the diagnosis of lung cancer is typically made at a late stage when it is no longer treatable.
Consequently, the average age at which COPD is identified is considerably higher. One of the potential risk factors that could result in the development of lung cancer is the presence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which is more commonly referred to as COPD. This is despite the fact that smoking tobacco is the major risk factor for both diseases, and as a result, it is also the risk factor that has garnered the most attention and investigation as a result of this fact.
Source: erj.ersjournals.com/content/60/6/2201294
