Posted: 07/16/05 - 02:00 Post subject: Lung Cancer COPD
My father has problems with breathing and he is coughing all the time. I am worried about him because he is a heavy smoker. I keep telling him to go to doctor but he doesn't wanna talk about it. What if he has lung cancer? Could it only be COPD?
It doesn't have to mean that your father has a lung cancer because many of the common symptoms of lung cancer are similar to those of smokers’ lung or COPD. However, keep trying to talk to your father and explain to him what could happen if he keeps pretending that everything is ok. Most lung cancer patients will also have COPD because both conditions are mainly caused by smoking, only 1 or 2% of COPD patients will go on to develop lung cancer. The most important thing for your father is that he quits smoking. The COPD is not curable but it can often be improved. The airway obstruction in COPD is largely irreversible. In some people with COPD, large cysts (bullae) can develop in the lung. They can be removed surgically and will allow better inflation of the rest of the lung tissue. This treatment is suitable for only a minority of patients. The main drive in COPD treatment has to be of prevention rather than cure and COPD does occur in non-smokers also. However, the vast majority of patients smoke.
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