Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Prior Lung Disease and Risk of Lung Cancer in a Large Prospective Study

  • Published:
Cancer Causes & Control Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objectives: While 75-90% of people who develop lung cancer are smokers, only a small proportion of smokers develop lung cancer. Identifying factors that increase a smoker's risk of developing lung cancer may help scientists to better understand the etiology of lung cancer and more effectively target high-risk groups for screening.

Methods: Information on physician-diagnosed non-malignant lung diseases [asbestosis, asthma, chronic bronchitis or emphysema (CB/E), pneumonia, and tuberculosis] was obtained at baseline from 17,698 men and women involved in CARET, a randomized lung cancer prevention trial of beta-carotene and vitamin A among heavy smokers and asbestos-exposed workers. Hazard ratios for lung cancer were estimated through Cox regression models, after controlling for potential confounding factors, included smoking. Analyses were restricted to former and current smokers.

Results: During a median follow up of 9.1 years, 1028 cases of lung cancer occurred. Those who developed lung cancer were more likely to report a history of CB/E than controls (adjusted HR = 1.29, 95% CI: 1.09-1.53). In subgroup analyses, the association between a history of CB/E and lung cancer was stronger for those who were younger at diagnosis/reference, men in the heavy smoker cohort, former smokers, and those with squamous cell carcinomas. There was little association between a history of other lung diseases and lung cancer.

Conclusions: Smokers with a history of CB/E may be at higher risk of developing lung cancer, independent of their smoking history.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Blot WJ, Fraumeni JF Jr (1996)Cancers of the lung and pleura.In:Fraumeni JF,Jr ed.Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention.Oxford: Oxford University Press,pp.637-665.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Osann KE, Lowery JT, Schell MJ (2000)Small cell lung cancer in women:risk associated with smoking,prior respiratory disease, and occupation.Lung Cancer 28:1-10.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Brownson RC, Alavanja MC (2000)Previous lung disease and lung cancer risk among women (United States).Cancer Causes Control 11:853-858.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Mayne ST, Buenconsejo J, Janerich DT (1999)Previous lung disease and risk of lung cancer among men and women nonsmok-ers.Am J Epidemiol 149:13-20.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Wu AH, Fontham ET, Reynolds P,et al.(1995)Previous lung disease and risk of lung cancer among lifetime nonsmoking women in the United States.Am J Epidemiol 141:1023-1032.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Wu-Williams AH, Dai XD, Blot W,et al.(1990)Lung cancer among women in north-east China.Br J Cancer 62:982-987.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Samet JM, Humble CG, Pathak DR (1986)Personal and family history of respiratory disease and lung cancer risk.Am Rev Respir Dis 134:466-470.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Alavanja MC, Brownson RC, Boice JD Jr, Hock E (1992) Preexisting lung disease and lung cancer among nonsmoking women.Am J Epidemiol 136:623-632.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Islam SS, Schottenfeld D (1994)Declining FEV1 and chronic productive cough in cigarette smokers:a 25-year prospective study of lung cancer incidence in Tecumseh,Michigan.Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 3:289-298.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Sasco AJ, Merrill RM, Dari I,et al.(2002)A case-control study of lung cancer in Casablanca,Morocco.Cancer Causes Control 13:609-616.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Ger LP, Hsu WL, Chen KT, Chen CJ (1993)Risk factors of lung cancer by histological category in Taiwan.Anticancer Res 13: 1491-1500.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Omenn GS, Goodman G, Thornquist M,et al.(1996)Chemoprevention of lung cancer:the beta-Carotene and Retinol Ecacy Trial (CARET)in high-risk smokers and asbestos-exposed workers.IARC Sci Publ:67-85.

  13. Omenn GS, Goodman GE,Thornquist MD,et al.(1996)Effects of a combination of beta-carotene and vitamin A on lung cancer and cardiovascular disease.N Engl J Med 334:1150-1155.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Ferris BG (1978)Epidemiology Standardization Project (American Thoracic Society).Am Rev Respir Dis 118:1-120.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Bobadilla A, Guerra S, Sherrill D, Barbee R (2002)How accurate is the self-reported diagnosis of chronic bronchitis?Chest 122: 1234-1239.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Omenn GS, Goodman GE, Thornquist MD,et al.(1993)The Carotene and Retinol Ecacy Trial (CARET)to prevent lung cancer in high-risk populations:pilot study with asbestos-exposed workers.Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2:381-387.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Crapo RO, Morris AH, Gardner RM (1981)Reference spirometric values using techniques and equipment that meet ATS recommen-dations.Am Rev Respir Dis 123:659-664.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Fritz AG (2000)International Classi cation of Diseases for Oncology:ICD-O.World Health Organization,Geneva.

  19. Hosmer DW, Lemeshow S (1999)Applied Survival Analysis: Regression Modeling of Time to Event Data.Wiley, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Albanes D, Heinonen OP, Taylor PR,et al.(1996)Alpha-tocopherol and beta-carotene supplements and lung cancer inci-dence in the alpha-tocopherol,beta-carotene cancer prevention study:effects of base-line characteristics and study compliance.J Natl Cancer Inst 88:1560-1570.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Surveillance,Epidemiology,and End Results (SEER)Program (www.seer.cancer.gov).Incidence-SEER 9 Regs Public-Use,Nov 2002 Sub (1973-2000).National Cancer Institute,DCCPS,Sur-veillance Research Program,Cancer Statistics Branch.

  22. Brenner AV, Wang Z, Kleinerman RA,et al.(2001)Previous pulmonary diseases and risk of lung cancer in Gansu Province, China.Int J Epidemiol 30:118-124.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Gao YT, Blot WJ, Zheng W,et al.(1987)Lung cancer among Chinese women.Int J Cancer40:604-609.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Ko YC, Lee CH, Chen MJ,et al.(1997)Risk factors for primary lung cancer among non-smoking women in Taiwan.Int J Epidemiol 26:24-31.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Kreuzer M, Gerken M, Kreienbrock L, Wellmann J, Wichmann HE (2001)Lung cancer in lifetime nonsmoking men-results of a case-control study in Germany.Br J Cancer 84:134-140.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Kreuzer M, Heinrich J, Kreienbrock L, Rosario AS, Gerken M, Wichmann HE (2002)Risk factors for lung cancer among nonsmoking women.Int J Cancer 100:706-713.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Kubik AK, Zatloukal P, Tomasek L, Petruzelka L (2002)Lung cancer risk among Czech women:a case-control study.Prev Med 34:436-444.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Osann KE (1991)Lung cancer in women:the importance of smoking,family history of cancer,and medical history of respiratory disease.Cancer Res 51:4893-4897.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Eberly LE, Ockene J, Sherwin R, Yang L, Kuller L (2003) Pulmonary function as a predictor of lung cancer mortality in continuing cigarette smokers and in quitters.Int J Epidemiol 32: 592-599.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Mannino DM, Buist AS, Petty TL, Enright PL, Redd SC (2003) Lung function and mortality in the United States:data from the First National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey follow up study.Thorax 58:388-393.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Skillrud DM, Offord KP, Miller RD (1986)Higher risk of lung cancer in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.A prospective, matched,controlled study.Ann Intern Med 105:503-507.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Mannino DM (2002)COPD:epidemiology,prevalence,morbidity and mortality,and disease heterogeneity.Chest 121:121S-126S.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Barr RG, Herbstman J, Speizer FE, Camargo CA Jr (2002) Validation of self-reported chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in a cohort study of nurses.Am J Epidemiol 155:965-971.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Leffondre K, Abrahamowicz M, Siemiatycki J, Rachet B (2002) Modeling smoking history:a comparison of different approaches.Am J Epidemiol 156:813-823.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Yang P, Wentzlaff KA, Katzmann JA,et al.(1999)Alpha1-antitrypsin de ciency allele carriers among lung cancer patients. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 8:461-465.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Piquette CA, Rennard SI, Snider GL (2000)Chronic bronchitis and emphysema.In:Nadel JA,(ed.),Textbook of Respiratory Medicine.Philadelphia: W.B.Saunders Company,pp.1187-1217.

    Google Scholar 

  37. Cohen BH, Diamond EL, Graves CG,et al.(1977)A common familial component in lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.Lancet 2:523-526.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Tager I, Tishler PV, Rosner B, Speizer FE, Litt M (1978)Studies of the familial aggregation of chronic bronchitis and obstructive airways disease.Int J Epidemiol 7:55-62.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Higgins M, Keller J (1975)Familial occurrence of chronic respiratory disease and familial resemblance in ventilatory capac-ity.J Chronic Dis 28:239-251.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Kueppers F, Miller RD, Gordon H, Hepper NG, Offord K (1977) Familial prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in a matched pair study.Am J Med 63:336-342.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Khoury MJ, Beaty TH, Newill CA, Bryant S, Cohen BH (1986) Genetic-environmental interactions in chronic airways obstruction. Int J Epidemiol 15:65-72.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Silverman EK, Chapman HA, Drazen JM,et al.(1998)Genetic epidemiology of severe,early-onset chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.Risk to relatives for air flow obstruction and chronic bronchitis.Am J Respir Crit Care Med 157:1770-1778.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Cohen BH (1978)Is pulmonary dysfunction the common denominator for the multiple effects of cigarette smoking?Lancet 2:1024-1027.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. Ames BN, Shigenaga MK, Gold LS (1993)DNA lesions,inducible DNA repair,and cell division:three key factors in mutagenesis and carcinogenesis.Environ Health Perspect 101 (Suppl.5):35-44.

    Google Scholar 

  45. Cohen SM, Ellwein LB (1990)Cell proliferation in carcinogenesis. Science 249:1007-1011.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. London WT,McGlynn KA (1996)Liver cancer.In:Fraumeni JF Jr,ed.Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention.New York: Oxford University Press,pp.772-793.

    Google Scholar 

  47. Farrow DC, Vaughan TL, Sweeney C,et al.(2000)Gastroesoph-ageal relux disease,use of H2 receptor antagonists,and risk of esophageal and gastric cancer.Cancer Causes Control11:231-238.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  48. Nomura A (1996)Stomach cancer.In:Fraumeni JF Jr,ed.Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention.New York: Oxford University Press,pp.707-724.

    Google Scholar 

  49. Schottenfeld D, Winawer SJ (1996)Cancers of the large intestine. In:Fraumeni JF Jr,ed.Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention.New York: Oxford University Press,pp.813-840.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    Alyson J. Littman, Emily White & Lisa A. Jackson

  2. Division of Public Health Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Avenue North, M4 B402, Seattle, WA, 98109-1024, USA

    Alyson J. Littman, Mark D. Thornquist, Emily White, Gary E. Goodman & Thomas L. Vaughan

  3. Center for Health Studies, Group Health Cooperative, Seattle, WA, USA

    Lisa A. Jackson

  4. Swedish Cancer Institute, Seattle, WA, USA

    Gary E. Goodman

  5. Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    Thomas L. Vaughan

Authors
  1. Alyson J. Littman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mark D. Thornquist
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Emily White
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Lisa A. Jackson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Gary E. Goodman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Thomas L. Vaughan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Littman, A.J., Thornquist, M.D., White, E. et al. Prior Lung Disease and Risk of Lung Cancer in a Large Prospective Study. Cancer Causes Control 15, 819–827 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:CACO.0000043432.71626.45

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:CACO.0000043432.71626.45

Search

Navigation