Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer incidence in never smokers: A cohort study

Hye Yun Park, Danbee Kang, Sun Hye Shin, Kwang Ha Yoo, Chin Kook Rhee, Gee Young Suh, Hojoong Kim, Young Mog Shim, Eliseo Guallar, Juhee Cho, O. Jung Kwon

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

There has been limited evidence for the association between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and the incidence of lung cancer among never smokers. We aimed to estimate the risk of lung cancer incidence in never smokers with COPD, and to compare it with the risk associated with smoking. This cohort study involved 338 548 subjects, 40 to 84 years of age with no history of lung cancer at baseline, enrolled in the National Health Insurance Service National Sample Cohort. During 2 355 005 person-years of follow-up (median follow-up 7.0 years), 1834 participants developed lung cancer. Compared with never smokers without COPD, the fully-adjusted hazard ratios (95% CI) for lung cancer in never smokers with COPD, ever smokers without COPD, and ever smokers with COPD were 2.67 (2.09 to 3.40), 1.97 (1.75 to 2.21), and 6.19 (5.04 to 7.61), respectively. In this large national cohort study, COPD was also a strong independent risk factor for lung cancer incidence in never smokers, implying that COPD patients are at high risk of lung cancer, irrespective of smoking status.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)506-509
Number of pages4
JournalThorax
Volume75
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 1 2020

Keywords

  • COPD
  • Lung cancer
  • Never smokers

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine

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