Lung Cancer and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Needs and Opportunities for Integrated Research

• Published in: JNCI : Journal of the National Cancer Institute Vol. 101; no. 8; pp. 554 - 559
• Main Authors: Punturieri, Antonello, Szabo, Eva, Croxton, Thomas L., Shapiro, Steven D., Dubinett, Steven M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Oxford University Press 15.04.2009; Oxford Publishing Limited (England)
• Subjects: Biomarkers - metabolism; Biomarkers, Tumor - metabolism; Biomedical Research - methods; Biomedical Research - organization & administration; Biomedical Research - trends; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; Clinical Trials as Topic - trends; Cooperative Behavior; Epigenesis, Genetic; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Genetics; Health Services Needs and Demand; Humans; Inflammation - metabolism; Inflammation - pathology; Inflammation - physiopathology; Lung cancer; Lung Neoplasms - diagnosis; Lung Neoplasms - epidemiology; Lung Neoplasms - genetics; Lung Neoplasms - metabolism; Lung Neoplasms - pathology; Lung Neoplasms - physiopathology; Medical research; Mesoderm - metabolism; Mesoderm - pathology; Mesoderm - physiopathology; Mutation; National Cancer Institute (U.S.); National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (U.S.); Neovascularization, Pathologic - physiopathology; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - diagnosis; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - epidemiology; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - genetics; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - metabolism; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - pathology; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - physiopathology; Smoking; United States; United States; USA
• ISSN: 0027-8874; 1460-2105; 1460-2105
• DOI: 10.1093/jnci/djp023

Lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the United States and worldwide. They share a common environmental risk factor in cigarette smoke exposure and a genetic predisposition represented by the incidence of these diseases in only a fraction of smokers. The presence of COPD increases the risk of lung cancer up to 4.5-fold. To investigate commonalities in disease mechanisms and perspectives for disease chemoprevention, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) held a workshop. The participants identified four research objectives: 1) clarify common epidemiological characteristics of lung cancer and COPD; 2) identify shared genetic and epigenetic risk factors; 3) identify and validate biomarkers, molecular signatures, and imaging-derived measurements of each disease; and 4) determine common and disparate pathogenetic mechanisms. These objectives should be reached via four research approaches: 1) identify, publicize, and enable the evaluation and analysis of existing datasets and repositories of biospecimens; 2) obtain phenotypic and outcome data and biospecimens from large studies of subjects with and/or at risk for COPD and lung cancer; 3) develop and use animal and other preclinical models to investigate pathogenetic links between the diseases; and 4) conduct early-phase clinical trials of potential chemopreventive agents. To foster much needed research interactions, two final recommendations were made by the participants: 1) incorporate baseline phenotyping and outcome measures for both diseases in future longitudinal studies of each disease and 2) expand collaborative efforts between the NCI and NHLBI.