title: Incidence of neoplastic disease following lung transplantation: a 17-year single-center experience.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Chronic immunosuppressive therapy following solid organ transplantation has been correlated with an increased risk of posttransplantation neoplastic disease (PTND). In this study we evaluated PTND incidence and outcome at our institution over a 17-year period among patients receiving lung transplantation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between February 1992 and December 2008, we performed 290 lung transplantations in 280 patients, including 139 single (48% with 5 retransplantations), and 151 double lung transplantations (52% with 5 retransplantations). Among the 280 patients, 2 had undergone previous double lung transplantation in other hospitals. Follow-up of transplant recipients was performed up to December 2009.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-two patients died in the hospital, producing a cumulative early (30-day) mortality rate of 15%. Among the 238 patients discharged from the hospital who entered our follow-up program, 36 (15%) experienced PTND. The mean time between transplantation and diagnosis was 47 ± 42 months, and patients' mean age at time of diagnosis was 55 ± 14 years. Overall freedom from PTND was 97%, 84%, and 73% at 1, 5, and 10 years, respectively. PTND was considered to be the direct cause of death in 11 patients (30%). Overall survival of patients with PTND at five years (45%) did not differ from the remainder of the transplanted population (46%). However, PTND became a relevant cause of death in the long-term (>5 years) follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our experience confirms that PTND was frequently diagnosed following lung transplantation. Even if PTND did not seem to significantly affect the survival of patients undergoing lung transplantation, it may become a significant cause of death among those surviving beyond 5 years.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Sciences, Section of Cardiac Surgery and Thoracic Transplantation, Fondazione IRCCS "San Matteo" Hospital, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy. c.pellegrini@smatteo.pv.it
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pellegrini
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nicolardi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Savasta
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Totaro
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Meloni
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ippoliti
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Oggionni
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Raffa
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: D'Armini
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Viganò
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002423:Cause of Death; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015994:Incidence; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D016040:Lung Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000401:mortality; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents