Research Progress on Pathogenesis of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Complicated with Lung Cancer

Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) is a fatal disease characterized by abnormal pulmonary fibroblast proliferation and excessive muscle fibroblast deposition in the extracellular matrix.Although it is not a malignant tumor, the prognosis is similar to many tumors or even worse.Sixty to seventy percent of IPF patients die from the disease.Without treatment, the average life expectancy after diagnosis is about 3-5 years.Other causes of death may be related to complications, with cardiovascular disease and Lung Cancer (LC) being the most significant contributors to mortality.At present, the pathogenesis of IPF-LC is not clear.Several studies have indicated the existence of a common pathway in the pathogenesis of IPF combined with LC.This review aims to provide a reference for the etiological treatment of IPF by examining relevant literature on the common pathogenesis and molecular pathways of IPF-LC, focusing on epigenetics, cellular communication, signaling pathways, and environmental factors.