TY - JOUR T1 - Telomere length, COPD and emphysema as risk factors for lung cancer JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J DO - 10.1183/13993003.01521-2016 SP - 1601521 AU - Juan P. de-Torres AU - Pablo Sanchez-Salcedo AU - Gorka Bastarrika AU - Ana B. Alcaide AU - Rubén Pío AU - María Jose Pajares AU - Arantza Campo AU - Juan Berto AU - Luis Montuenga AU - Maria del Mar Ocon AU - Carmen Monente AU - Bartolome R. Celli AU - Javier J. Zulueta Y1 - 2016/12/15 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/early/2016/12/22/13993003.01521-2016.abstract N2 - Telomeres are DNA–protein structures that protect chromosome ends from degradation and shorten progressively with each cell division [1].Telomere length measured in peripheral leukocytes has been used to determine an individual's “biological age”, and previous reports have demonstrated that patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and/or emphysema have shorter peripheral leukocyte telomere length [2–5]. The presence of COPD and emphysema are independent risk factors for the ultimate development of lung cancer [6, 7].Leukocyte telomere length should be included among the independent risk factors associated with lung cancer http://ow.ly/uzlg304Qpn6J.P. de-Torres, G. Bastarrika, J.J. Zulueta, P. Sanchez-Salcedo, B.R. Celli (conception and design, analysis and interpretation, and drafting the manuscript for important intellectual content); A.B. Alcaide, J. Berto, A. Campo, M. del Mar Ocon, C. Monente, R. Pío, M.J. Pajares, L. Montuenga (analysis and interpretation). ER -