Respiratory issues in cancer survivors patients: Mini-review

With the recent success of modern cancer therapy, cancer can be curable,and in cases where cure cannot be achieved, it can be treated as a chronic disease. As a result,there are now more than 15.5 million Americans with a history of cancer were alive on January 1, 2016. By January 1, 2026, this number is projected to reach 20.3 million [1]. These estimates do not include carcinoma in situ for any cancer except urinary bladder and do not include basal cell or squamous cell skin cancers. The respiratory effects of cancer therapy are critically important to the overall health of cancer survivors due to higher incidence of pulmonary disease compared with the general population. Because these conditions can result in a high degree of morbidity and mortality, understanding how to improve the prevention, recognition, and treatment of pulmonary disease is an important medical priority. Cancer survivors are at increased risk for pulmonary disease that results from treatment with chemotherapy, immunotherapy and radiation therapy. This mini review paper will focus on the long-term respiratory and will also cover respiratory issues related to cancer therapy. These are reviewed below. Finally, practical recommendations will be made for certain principles that may help guide the optimal treatment of respiratory effects in cancer survivors