Lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: understanding the complexity of carcinogenesis

Lung cancer (LC) carries a high mortality and has a 5-year survival of around 15% (1). Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has a 10% prevalence, also involving high mortality rates (2). Both entities have a series of common characteristics (3). The first, their high mortality, with important associated comorbidity.