A Taiwan-based study led by researchers at ​​the Department of Internal Medicine, E-Da Hospital, Kaohsiung, which analyzed 9425 Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients from the country’s cancer registry database over a course of 21 years, has found that a diagnosis of COPD and its management was associated with a reduced mortality of at least one year. The researchers said that they divided the cohort into 2 groups – those with and without COPD – and found that beyond 1 year, there was no significant difference in the mortality of the 2 groups. 

The researchers also highlighted the importance of factors such as age, BMI, CHF and diabetes in the survival of patients and said that the early detection of these factors may improve the treatment outcomes of patients.