Abstract
The association between interstitial lung disease (ILD) and bronchogenic carcinoma has been mainly reported in conditions with predominant fibrotic lung disease. In patients with any ILD, most tumors are subpleural, located close to honeycombing and fibrotic regions.
The development may be contributed to by altered proliferation potential of the terminal bronchiole epithelium, changes in immunology, oxidative damage, impaired carcinogen clearance in ILD patients or increased susceptibility of the epithelium to the effect of various carcinogens. The usual diagnostic algorithms are sometimes difficult to apply in ILD patients as they often have other comorbidities and, given their underlying lung disease, decreased lung function.
As the treatment is associated with a significantly increased risk of acute exacerbation, in patients with both coincident diseases, treatment and diagnostic procedures should always be individualized.