For example, if breast cancer spreads to the lung, the cancer cells difference and lung healthy between emphysema in the lung are breast cancer cells, not lung cancer cells. (or the spreading of your cancer). harvard medical school suggests following general good-health guidelines is the single best step you can take toward keeping your immune system strong and healthy:. Copd Lawan Emphysema What Are The Differences Additionally, this blockage causes the lungs to slowly overfill and makes breathing increasingly more difficult. key facts about emphysema. over three million people in the united states have been diagnosed with emphysema. emphysema is one of the most preventable respiratory illnesses because it is so strongly linked to smoking. In addition to these structural changes, there are several functional differences between healthy lungs and smoker's lungs as well, ranging from lung capacity to oxygen exchange. you may even recall the posters depicting the black, ugly-looki...