Mediastinal Small-Cell Lung Carcinoma after Right Lung Transplant for Pulmonary Interstitial Fibrosis

Abstract

Pulmonary carcinoma is uncommon after lung transplant, but doubtlessly affects recipient survival independently of other complications. Small cell lung cancer is much rarer after transplant than non-small cell lung cancer. We report a case of mediastinal small cell lung carcinoma confirmed by endobronchial ultrasound biopsy that occurred 18 months after a single lung transplant for interstitial pulmonary fibrosis in a 58-year-old male non-smoker. The patient died shortly after of distant metastasis. Our report confirms the usefulness of tumor markers and positron-emission tomography-computed tomography as routine tests for earlier detection of malignant disease after lung transplant.