Pneumonectomy for lung cancer in heart transplant recipient

Prolonged nonspecific immunosuppression after solid-organ transplantation is associated with an increased risk of certain cancers. Review of the medical literature reveals that the combination of profound immunossuppression (triple-drug immunosuppression), a heavy smoking history, advanced age and a working exposition puts cardiac transplant recipients at increased risk for the development of aggressive lung cancer. These tumors in cardiac transplant recipients carry a poor prognosis. We present one case of bronchogenic carcinoma in a cardiac transplant patient. The patient was operated to resect the tumor and a long-term cure and a good quality of life should, however, be offered.