Chronic bronchitis, pneumonia, emphysema linked to lung cancer risk

the Oncology Nurse Advisor take:

According to a new study published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, three common respiratory diseases, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and pneumonia, were associated with a higher risk of developing lung cancer. The study also found that asthma and tuberculosis were not linked with an increased risk.

The researchers analyzed data from seven studies and found that patients who had chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and pneumonia had an increased risk of lung cancer compared with who only had chronic bronchitis.

They also found that those who had asthma, chronic bronchitis, and tuberculosis, did not have an increased risk. Study author Ann Olsson, RN, MPH, PhD, said that underlying disease mechanisms may affect the risk of developing lung cancer in different ways. Despite the association found in this study, a cause-and-effect relationship between respiratory diseases and increased lung cancer risk was not proven.

Chronic bronchitis, emphysema, pneumonia, and lung cancer are oftentimes associated with smoking cigarettes. It is unclear yet if this study accounted for smokers. Patients should be counseled on the dangerous effects of smoking cigarettes and their association with many disease states.