# Lung cancer after kidney transplantation: a 50-year experience at a single institution

## TL;DR

This study examines lung cancer cases in kidney transplant patients over 50 years, finding that early detection and surgery improve outcomes.

## Contribution

The study provides long-term clinical insights into lung cancer after kidney transplantation and highlights the benefits of surgical intervention.

## Key findings

- 17 lung tumors were detected in 15 out of 2593 kidney transplant patients.
- Surgical resection was associated with significantly better prognosis than nonsurgical treatment.
- Routine chest exams helped in early diagnosis of lung cancer in transplant recipients.

## Abstract

To investigate the clinical characteristics of lung cancer that develops after kidney transplantation.

The clinical data of patients with lung cancer diagnosed after kidney transplantation were collected retrospectively. The medical records were extracted from our database. All patients underwent routine chest examination after kidney transplantation.

In total, 17 lung tumors were detected in 15 (0.6%) of 2593 patients who underwent kidney transplantation at our institution. Eleven lung tumors were completely resected from a collective 10 patients (surgical group). The remaining five patients did not receive surgical treatment (nonsurgical group). The surgical group underwent wedge resection (n = 5), segmentectomy (n = 1), lobectomy (n = 3), and bilobectomy (n = 1). The pathological stages were 0 (n = 1), IA1 (n = 2), IA2 (n = 4), IA3 (n = 2), and IB (n = 1). The surgical group had a significantly better prognosis than the nonsurgical group. There were no perioperative complications related to kidney transplantation in either group.

Routine chest examination would be useful for the early diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer after kidney transplantation. Moreover, surgical resection for early-stage lung cancer was associated with a better prognosis for kidney transplantation patients.