Undetected lung cancer in the explanted lungs may significantly complicate the outcome of a patient following lung transplantation. The incidence and survival of undetected primary lung cancer in the explanted lungs have not been studied in a large cohort of patients. We have experienced a 63 year old male with a diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis who underwent bilateral sequential single lung transplantation in whom primary lung cancer was detected in the explanted lung of the recipient. A retrospective review of all radiological imaging study was correlated with the pathology of the explanted lung in order to localize the primary focus of the tumor. The patient was diagnosed as squamous cell carcinoma, stage IIIA (T1N2M0). This patient is currently under the close surveillance, and we recommend computerized tomograms of the chest immediately prior to lung transplantation in order to avoid the incidence of undetected primary lung cancer.ope
