I have been told I have copd for several years . it has gotten a lot worse over the years . have a lot of iritation inside my lungs for about three weeks . people are saying I have sighs of cancer . could this be so. I think it is just iritation . What do you think .
Thanks for your question on Chat Doctor. I can understand your concern. COPD is chronic inflammatory disease of lungs. Persistent inflammation is the key feature in COPD patients. Infection and cigarette smoke are the common cause for persistent inflammation. And this inflammation can cause irritation in lungs. So quit smoking if you are smoker. We should also rule out lung infection in your case. So get done chest x-ray. Also get done PFT (Pulmonary Function Test) to rule know the severity of COPD. Treatment of COPD is based on severity only. You may need additional antibiotic, inhaled bronchodilators and inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) on the basis of chest x-ray and PFT report. Chest x-ray will also rule of possibility of lung cancer. So consult pulmonologist and discuss all these. Hope I have solved your query. I will be happy to help you further. Wish you good health. Thanks.