Could COPD represent an independent risk factor for lung cancer?

Results of a new cohort study suggest that non-smokers with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are at a heightened risk of developing lung cancer compared with non-smokers without COPD. Much research has demonstrated that individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who have histories of smoking face heightened risks of developing lung cancer; less research has investigated if this risk is similarly greater for individuals with COPD who have never smoked. Now, new research, led by investigators from the Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine (Seoul, South Korea), suggests that non-smokers with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may be over 2.5...