Lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are both diseases that cause damage to the lungs. Shortness of breath, coughing, and wheezing are all symptoms of both. COPD and lung cancer are commonly known as different diseases with various symptoms in common.

However, other evidence suggests that they may be diverse manifestations of the same illness process. Tobacco use harms your cells. Antioxidants and DNA repair systems help your body fight back. However, if these fail, you may get cancer or COPD. Let's see what do lung cancer and emphysema have in common?
Is there a connection between them?

If you ask what do lung cancer and emphysema have in common? My answer is below.

While emphysema and lung cancer are two different diseases, there are some similarities between them. Cigarette smoking is a risk factor for both lung cancer and emphysema. Both can cause immune system dysfunction, inflammation, and cell damage, all of which lead to the progression of the two illnesses.

While the physiology of emphysema does not cause lung cancer, nor does lung cancer cause emphysema, both conditions can create an environment in which the other can arrive. Cell damage from emphysema, for example, can generate stress and genetic alterations in lung tissue. Cancer cells can also harm alveoli and other lung tissues, causing COPD-like symptoms.

According to one study, emphysema is the most effective known predictor of lung cancer development. It is not to say that emphysema is lung cancer, those with emphysema are more likely to acquire lung cancer in the future.

Symptoms and Treatments
- Coughing
- Wheezing
- Shortness of breath
These symptoms are common in both COPD and lung cancer. If you have COPD and are experiencing symptoms of lung cancer, such as
- Chest pain,
- Extreme tiredness
- Unexplained weight loss
- Coughing up blood
You should consult a doctor to avoid risks.


Common Risk Factors

Genetic risk
Smokers' genes may have a role in determining who develops COPD and lung cancer. Several genes are found that raise your chance of both.
Inflammation
Long-term lung inflammation is related to both COPD and lung cancer in studies. When your cells are inflamed, they divide fast in an attempt to heal the damage. It increases the chances of the cells mutating and becoming cancerous.
Age
Your body has a difficult time repairing DNA damage as you get older. It might be why your cancer risk rises as you get older. COPD is 2 1/2 times more common in adults over 60.

If you smoke, your case is at risk of causing both COPD and lung cancer. Lung cancer is not a definite outcome if you have COPD. COPD does not lead to lung cancer. However, it will put you in danger.

Smokers with blockage in their airways are up to five times more likely to get lung cancer than those with normal lungs. Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) causes half of the people to also have COPD, according to one study. They had symptoms such as coughing, shortness of breath, and mucus.