Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Lung Cancer: Underlying Pathophysiology and New Therapeutic Modalities

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer are major lung diseases affecting millions worldwide. Both diseases have links to cigarette smoking and exert a considerable societal burden. People suffering from COPD are at higher risk of developing lung cancer than those without, and are more susceptible to poor outcomes after diagnosis and treatment. Lung cancer and COPD are closely associated, possibly sharing common traits such as an underlying genetic predisposition, epithelial and endothelial cell plasticity, dysfunctional inflammatory mechanisms including the deposition of excessive extracellular matrix, angiogenesis, susceptibility to DNA damage and cellular mutagenesis. In fact, COPD could be the driving factor for lung cancer, providing a conducive environment that propagates its evolution. In the early stages of smoking, body defences provide a combative immune/oxidative response and DNA repair mechanisms are likely to subdue these changes to a certain extent; however, in patients with COPD with lung cancer the consequences could be devastating, potentially contributing to slower postoperative recovery after lung resection and increased resistance to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Vital to the development of new-targeted therapies is an in-depth understanding of various molecular mechanisms that are associated with both pathologies. In this comprehensive review, we provide a detailed overview of possible underlying factors that link COPD and lung cancer, and current therapeutic advances from both human and preclinical animal models that can effectively mitigate this unholy relationship

Inversion of magnetic and gravity data reveals subsurface igneous bodies in Northland, New Zealand

none5siMagnetic anomalies identified in the 2011 aeromagnetic survey data of Northland generally correlate with regional geology, but several anomalies have neither surface geological expression nor identifiable associations with the known geology of Northland. Inversion of magnetic data suggests that three circular positive anomalies located east of Kawakawa, east of Kaitaia and southwest of Houhora Heads are associated with buried volcanoes and/or igneous intrusions. Models suggest the magnetic anomalies are caused by subsurface bodies with magnetisation values up to 0.4 A m–1 that are c. 5 km in diameter and extend from depths of 1–3 km to within a few hundred metres of the ground surface. The shape and magnetisation of the bodies suggest that they may be buried rhyolite or andesite volcanoes and/or large granite or diorite igneous intrusions. These previously unknown igneous bodies contribute to our understanding of the volcanic history of Northland and, by analogy to known mineral deposits in Northland, may also host mineralisation that could be of interest to mineral explorers.openStagpoole V.; Caratori Tontini F.; Barretto J.; Davy B.; Edbrooke S.W.Stagpoole, V.; Caratori Tontini, F.; Barretto, J.; Davy, B.; Edbrooke, S. W