Is duration of Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease risk factor decreasing survival rate in patients with lung cancer?

<bold>Background:</bold> Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was found to be important risk factor for development of lung cancer independently of harmfulness of cigarettes. COPD is significantly associated with the decreased survival in patients with LC. However, the impact of COPD duration on survival in LC was not assessed sufficiently yet. <bold>Aims and objectives:</bold> The aim of the study was to determine if factors as: newly diagnosed COPD compared to COPD diagnosed in the past; sex, emphysema, and status of smoking decrease survival of patients with LC. <bold>Methods:</bold> The demographic and clinical data of patients hospitalized and diagnosed with lung tumors between years 2016-2022 were collected retrospectively and their survival time were analyzed. Statistical analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier estimator and the groups were compered in terms of survival time using Log-rank test. <bold>Results:</bold> 180 patients with diagnosis of COPD and LC were consecutively included to our study. A median age was 70.5 years, and there were 46,1% of women. The survival rates of patients with COPD recognized during LC diagnosis were significantly higher than those of patients with previous COPD (p = 0.0062), and after 1, 2, 3 and 5 years of observation, they were: 32,14% vs. 18.75%, 16.67% vs. 10.69%, 11.61% vs. 6.11%, and 9.03% vs. 4.07%, respectively. There were no significant differences in survival rate depending on sex, presence of emphysema and status of smoking (active vs. ex-smoker). <bold>Conclusions:</bold> Duration of COPD is an important risk factor of mortality in patients with LC. Longer lasting COPD significantly decrease survival rate in patients with LC than newly diagnosed.