Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a group of conditions that affects the lungs. People living with COPD, lung cancer, or both, may wonder: Is COPD a form of lung cancer? Can it lead to lung cancer? What are the differences between the two conditions?

COPD and lung cancer can both be caused by cigarette smoking and are often comorbidities — two conditions that may appear in the same person at the same time. COPD increases a person’s chances of developing lung cancer. About 1 percent of people with COPD develop lung cancer each year. Researchers have found that almost 80 percent of people with lung cancer have COPD.

What Is COPD?

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease consists of several different conditions. The two most common types of COPD are emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Emphysema is damage or destruction of the alveoli (air sacs within the lungs). Chronic bronchitis is irritation and swelling of the bronchial tubes (large tubes that let air in and out of the lungs).

Emphysema and chronic bronchitis often occur at the same time. They both lead to airflow obstruction — the blockage of air from getting to the lungs. Symptoms of COPD include breathing problems, chest tightness, coughing up sputum (mucus), tiredness, and swelling in the feet or legs.

COPD is most often caused by smoking. Air pollution, infections, and genetic conditions can also cause COPD. Usually, this condition gets worse over time. People with COPD may have trouble walking, climbing stairs, working, or leaving the house. COPD is one of the leading causes of death worldwide.

How Does COPD Affect Lung Cancer Risk?

People with COPD are up to five times more likely to receive a lung cancer diagnosis than people with normal lung function. COPD most often causes squamous cell carcinoma, a subtype of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

One reason for the link between COPD and lung cancer is that they share common risk factors. Cigarette smoking can cause both of these lung diseases or make them worse. This is because carcinogens (cancer-causing molecules) in cigarette smoke damage DNA and kill cells.

Cigarette smoke is not the only link between these two conditions. Regardless of smoking status, people with COPD have a higher risk of developing lung cancer. Researchers believe that there are a few reasons why COPD and lung cancer often occur together:

• Cellular and DNA damage — COPD damages cells in the lungs, making them more likely to turn cancerous.
• Genetic susceptibility — Some people have gene mutations (changes) that make them more likely to develop both COPD and lung cancer.
• Inflammation — One impact of COPD is chronic inflammation in the lungs and airways, which can lead to cancer.
• Enzymes — During COPD, the body makes enzymes (proteins) that encourage cells to grow faster and become cancerous.

Some people living with COPD have a further increased risk of developing lung cancer. Factors that raise lung cancer risk in people with COPD include:

• Older age (60 years old or older)
• Lower body mass index (BMI), a ratio of a person’s weight to their height
• Longer smoking history

How Does COPD Affect Lung Cancer Prognosis?

COPD may worsen a person’s lung cancer prognosis (outlook) and overall quality of life. In some studies, people were more likely to die from lung cancer if they also had COPD. These studies found that people with COPD were more likely to have high-grade (faster-growing) tumors, and their cancer was more likely to relapse (come back after being treated). People with COPD may have greater difficulty in tolerating cancer treatments. In other studies, people with and without COPD had similar outcomes from lung cancer.

Other factors such as genetics or lung cancer stage may play a role in a person’s outlook. The type of lung cancer may also affect survival rates. One study found that people with COPD had worse outcomes if they had squamous cell carcinoma. However, people with other types of lung cancer had a similar prognosis. More research needs to be done to better understand how COPD is linked to lung cancer outcomes.

Living With COPD and Lung Cancer

If you’re living with both COPD and lung cancer, it’s important to make efforts to help improve your outlook and manage your overall health. In addition to the treatments your health care team suggests for your lung cancer and COPD, here are some lifestyle changes you can make to improve your quality of life and help slow lung damage:

• Reduce your exposure to COPD triggers like tobacco smoke (by both quitting smoking and avoiding secondhand smoke exposure), air pollution, and strong dust and chemicals.
• Focus on nutrition to stay healthy, improve your breathing, and better fight infections. Ask your health care provider for nutrition advice and resources.
• Stay active with moderate exercise to get benefits like improved energy, use of oxygen, muscle strength, mental health, and sleep.
• Stick to your treatment plans and all scheduled health care appointments. Notify your health care providers if your symptoms change or you develop symptoms of an infection.
• Pay attention to your mental health. If you develop stress, anxiety, or depression, talk to a health care provider and find ways to help you manage stress.

Find Your Team

Another way to help cope when living with both COPD and lung cancer is by joining a support group. MyLungCancerTeam is the social network for people with lung cancer and their loved ones. On MyLungCancerTeam, more than 13,000 members come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with others who understand life with lung cancer.

Are you living with COPD and lung cancer? Share your experience in the comments below, or start a conversation by posting on your Activities page.