Radiation treatment for cancer - can it cause copd?

Lung Change Possible: People treated for lung cancer with radiation therapy can get both short term and long term lung changes. In the short term there can be radiation pneumonitis which can seem like a pneumonia. In the long term there can be fibrosis of the treated area which will not work well any more. While symptomatically this can seem like copd, it's actually quite different.

Not usually: Radiation causes pneumonia followed by some degree of p-rt fibrosis. It may be treated with steroids. It causes a restrictive lung defect . COPD causes an obstructive lung defect.