Lung cancer patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

The aim of this study is to evaluate characteristics in lung cancer patient s with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Among 966 lung cancer patients admitted to our division over a period of 24 years, 73 patients we re diagnosed as having COPD. There were 68 (93.2%) men and 5 women; of the tumors 43 (58.9%) were squamous cell carcinomas. Although 41 (56.2%) patien ts had stage IA-IIIA, only 11 (15.1%) had surgery. Coexistence of COPD was proved to be a prognostic factor (p=0.0451). Adequate palliative care to pr ovide quality survival would be the primary goal of therapy for lung cancer patients with COPD.