Interstitial Lung Disease Combined with Lung Cancer: Current Understanding and Challenges

Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a group of diffuse pulmonary diseases primarily affecting the pulmonary interstitium and alveolar spaces, leading to restrictive ventilatory dysfunction and diffusion impairment. Patients with ILD have a higher risk of developing lung cancer, which is an indisputable risk factor for lung cancer. However, the pathogenesis of ILD with lung cancer (ILD-LC) remains unclear, and there are few consensus documents for the specific diagnosis and treatment of ILD-LC to date. This article reviews the latest advancements in the epidemiology, risk factors, pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of ILD-LC, aiming to provide a guide for the treatment of ILD-LC patients.