Lung cancer among outpatients with COPD: a 7-year cohort study

Lung cancer (LC) is the most common cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, and its prognosis upon metastasis remains poor. Patients with COPD face a significantly elevated LC risk, up to six times greater than those with normal lung function. We aimed to investigate LC prevalence and stage distribution among COPD outpatients. Furthermore, we aimed to outline the COPD-related variables associated with referral for LC examination.

We conducted a retrospective analysis encompassing the period from 1 January 2012 to 31 December 2018 on all outpatients with COPD and LC and individuals referred for LC examinations.

Among all COPD outpatients, 2231 patients (18%) were referred for LC examinations and 565 (4.6%) were diagnosed with LC. LC patients with COPD were more likely to be stage I-II, in contrast to the non-COPD LC population (46% versus 26%, p<0.001 for all). Patients referred for LC examinations exhibited higher use of COPD-related medications, reported more severe dyspnoea (69% versus 66% with Medical Research Council dyspnoea score >2) and experienced a greater frequency of exacerbations (30% versus 24% with two or more exacerbations).

Our study revealed a notably high LC incidence among COPD outpatients. LC patients with COPD were diagnosed at earlier stages, and outpatients with more pronounced COPD symptoms were more inclined to undergo LC diagnostics. The overrepresentation of LC cases among COPD outpatients emphasises the importance of tailoring specific screening initiatives for this demographic.