If you have one or more other persistent (chronic) lung diseases, such as tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema or chronic bronchitis, you are slightly more likely to get lung cancer than other people.

If you smoke, you may have a condition called chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). If you have COPD, you are more likely to get lung cancer.¹ In COPD, not enough air flows into or out of the lungs. COPD is nearly always caused by smoking.

This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment. ©BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2008. All rights reserved.