COPD and Lung Cancer – The Hidden Connection

COPD or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a life-threatening respiratory condition that afflicts smokers and those living in extremely polluted environments. COPD is a progressive, degenerative disease that gets worse over time and causes chronic coughing, chest tightness, shortness of breath and production of mucus.

Are COPD and lung cancer related to each other?

The symptoms and impact of COPD on our respiratory system are very similar to that of lung cancer. Many believe that COPD and lung cancer are both different aspects of very similar diseases. COPD is a major risk factor for squamous cell carcinoma, and smokers who are often also sufferers of COPD are five times more likely to suffer from airflow obstruction and lung cancer.

COPD and lung cancer are growing rapidly worldwide, and in 2008, they were cited by WHO to be amongst the 10 top causes of death, with COPD being the 4th most common cause, resulting in over 3.2 million fatalities. Lung cancer was a close second, ranked at number 7. Multiple pieces of research have shown that lung cancer patients who also suffered from COPD had much lower odds of survival than those without.

Are treatments for lung cancer and COPD similar?

No. Although both are respiratory disorders, the line of treatment for both remains different. Lung cancer may require surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy and other targeted therapy medication. COPD patients get anti-inflammatory medication, supplementary oxygen through oxygen concentrators and in rare cases, lung surgery.

What can I do to prevent COPD and lung cancer?

We’re glad you asked. Both COPD and lung cancer are caused by airway obstruction amongst other things. The best way to reduce the chances of COPD or lung cancer from occurring is to stop smoking. Smoking cessation or not smoking will limit damage to your lungs and DNA, will help you breathe better, boost your immune system and help you fight diseases such as lung cancer.

I already suffer from COPD. What can I do?

The best thing you can do is follow the advice of your physician, stop smoking and live in an area that has significantly lower levels of air pollution. If you are confined to your home, using an air purifier is a great way to ensure that you are not impacted adversely by environmental pollutants. If you are up and about, using an N95 mask outdoors can filter out pollutants, helping you breathe better.

Can an oxygen concentrator help me breathe better?

Absolutely. If you have difficulty breathing, using a world-class oxygen concentrator such as OxyPure 5L can provide you with supplemental oxygen that will help you feel better very soon. However, we urge you to first discuss your condition with your healthcare provider so you can get the best oxygen concentrator for your needs.

Will an oxygen concentrator help me to maintain healthy blood oxygen levels?

Definitely. The most common thing that comes to our mind for enhancing the levels of blood oxygen would be an oxygen cylinder. These can easily help patients breathe in pure oxygen, and can boost oxygen saturation levels rapidly. However, oxygen cylinders suffer from an inherent problem—the amount of oxygen the carry is limited. A good alternative to ensure a constant supply of oxygen is a high-quality oxygen concentrator such as Oxypure by Sanrai.

Sanrai has spent many years distributing oxygen therapy devices and has collated volumes of patient data which gave them insights about what exactly these devices lacked, and how they could be improved. Sanrai’s quest for creating a near-perfect device culminated in the OxyPure—an innovative, customer-focused stationary oxygen concentrator that solves some of the major gripes of most oxygen concentrator users.

OxyPure is brought to you by Sanrai—an innovative global medical products distributor that believes that nothing but the best will do for you. Sanrai is a leading and experienced supplier of oxygen concentrators to various industry verticals and provides outstanding after-sales support and warranty services. Contact Sanrai today for more information about how you can meet your specific oxygen therapy requirements.