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Does interstitial lung disease predispose to lung cancer?
Craig E Daniels1, James R Jett
1Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA. daniels.craig@mayo.edu
Current Opinion in Pulmonary Medicine
|August 12, 2005
Summary
Interstitial lung diseases, such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, increase lung cancer risk. Recurrent injury and inflammation may cause genetic changes leading to cancer, but a unifying cause is not yet clear.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonology
- Oncology
- Pathogenesis
Background:
- Cigarette smoking is the primary cause of lung cancer.
- Certain fibrotic and inflammatory lung conditions, known as interstitial lung diseases (ILDs), are linked to increased lung cancer risk.
- Examples of ILDs associated with lung cancer include idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, systemic sclerosis, and pneumoconioses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the evidence for the causal link between interstitial lung diseases and lung cancer.
- To explore the potential pathogenetic mechanisms underlying this association.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of existing evidence.
- Analysis of studies investigating the relationship between ILDs and lung cancer risk.
- Examination of proposed pathogenetic pathways.
Main Results:
- Evidence supports an elevated risk of lung cancer in individuals with specific ILDs.
- Potential mechanisms involve recurrent lung injury and inflammation leading to genetic alterations.
- The identified ILDs include idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, systemic sclerosis, and certain pneumoconioses.
Conclusions:
- Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, systemic sclerosis, and pneumoconioses are independently associated with a higher risk of lung cancer.
- A comprehensive pathogenetic mechanism explaining the causality remains elusive.
- Further high-quality prospective studies are needed due to inconsistent frequency reports.