Lung transplantation has become an efficient life-saving treatment for patients with end stage respiratory disease. The increasing good outcome following
lung transplantation may be explained by growing experience of transplant teams and availability of potent immunosuppressive drugs. Nevertheless, the latter carries an inherent risk for
malignancy besides other common side effects such as systemic
hypertension, diabetes and renal dysfunction.
Malignancies occur in a smaller proportion of patients but explain for a large proportion of deaths following
transplantation. From the first year post-
transplantation they will represent the third cause of death with an increasing incidence along post lung transplant survival. In this chapter, we will browse the different types of
malignancies arising following
lung transplantation. According to the different techniques for
lung transplantation, specific types of
bronchogenic carcinoma will be described in the explanted lung, in the native lung, and in the graft. Risk factors associated to immunosuppressive therapy, but also to occupational and environmental factors, especially smoking, will be discussed. Eventually, we will strive at integrating recommendations for the treatment of
malignancies following
lung transplantation.