LUNG-CANCER AND CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY-DISEASE

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer are close ly related disease states, and both are caused by smoking. Patients wi th airflow obstruction have a much greater Likelihood of having lung c ancer than those with normal airflow, with all other risk factors bein g equal. Heavy smokers with airflow obstruction should be monitored fo r the presence of lung cancer by annual chest x-rays and sputum cytolo gy. When the cancer can be detected early (i.e. in situ or stage I), t he cure rate equals that of many other cancers. It is time to abandon the incorrect notion that lung cancer screening is futile; patients at highest risk are candidates for the same kind of cancer surveillance as are patients at risk of breast, prostate, uterine, and colon cancer s.