http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22974929

Transplant Proc. 2012 Sep;44(7):2118-9. doi: 10.1016/j.transproceed.2012.07.067.

Lung cancer in patients with lung transplants.

Espinosa D, Baamonde C, Illana J, Arango E, Carrasco G, Moreno P, Algar FJ, Alvarez A, Cerezo F, Santos F, Vaquero JM, Redel J, Salvatierra A.

Source

Division of Thoracic Surgery and Lung Transplantation, Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, University of Cordoba, Córdoba, Spain. Electronic address: dioniesp@hotmail.com.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

The aim of our study was to describe the incidence of lung cancer in patients after lung transplantation (LT).

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

We performed an observational, retrospective, descriptive study based on data from 340 patients undergoing lung transplantation between October 1993 and December 2010. We collected data about the donors, recipients, intra- and postoperative periods, and survivals.

RESULTS:

We identified 9 (2.6%) patients who developed lung cancer after LT. Their average age was 56 ± 9.3 years (range, 18-63). All cases were men with 8/9 (88.8%) having received a single lung transplant. All cancers developed in the native lung. The indications for transplantation were: emphysema type chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD; n = 5), idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (n = 3), or cystic fibrosis (n = 1); 77% of them were former smokers. All of the COPD patient were affected. The interval from transplantation to diagnosis was 53.3 ± 12 months (range 24-86). Survival after cancer diagnosis was 49.3 ± 6.3 (range = 0-180) months.

CONCLUSIONS:

LT was associated with a relatively high incidence of lung cancer, particularly in the native lung. In our series, lung cancer was related more to patients with emphysema-type COPD and a history of smoking. We believe that these patients should be closely followed to establish the diagnosis and apply early treatment.