Abstract
Background: The association of lung cancer (LC) and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is well recognized. The poor prognosis of both conditions and the risk of serious complications related to LC treatment make the clinical management particularly difficult.
Aims: To describe the clinical profile and survival of IPF associated or not with LC
Methods: Retrospective cohort study from data collected in a prospective manner and retrieved from the IPF registry of Pulmonology Unit (Morgagni Hospital, Forlì, Italy). Study period from January 2000 to December 2010.
Results: 208 patients diagnosed with IPF according to ATS/ERS criteria and followed in our IPF Clinic. Nineteen (9.1%) patients developed LC (cancer group, CG). Compared to patients without LC (non-cancer group, NCG), CG were older (68.5±7.9 vs 63.9±8.9 years), more frequently smokers (79.5% vs 67.8%) and heavier smokers (pky 44.3±32.1 vs 30.6±21.9), they had better baseline functional respiratory tests and similar number of familial IPF cases. There was not a statistically significant difference in median survival in the two groups (32 months in CG and 46 months in NCG, p=0.179).
Conclusions: Cigarette smoke was the only clinical variable associated with increased risk of developing LC in IPF patients. We did not observe any difference in incidence of LC when comparing familial and sporadic forms of IPF. Survival did not differ despite better functional tests at baseline in the CG.
- © 2011 ERS