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During the years 1960 to 1989, 145 patients underwent sleeve lobectomy or sleeve resection of a main bronchus. Follow-up was complete except for one patient, who was no longer available for follow-up 4 years after operation. Eleven patients (7.6 %) had a second primary cancer in the lung; 10 of these patients (90.9%) were men. Mean age at sleeve operation was 61.2 ± 11.6 years. Mean interval between sleeve operation and development of second primary cancer was 53.8 months (range, 6 to 197 months). All second primary cancers occurred on the contralateral side. In five cases there was squamous cell carcinoma, in two there was adenocarcinoma, in one there was adenosquamous carcinoma, in two there was small cell carcinoma, and in one patient no definite histologic type could be established. Five patients had different histologic type from the initial, resected primary tumor. Seven patients (64%) were operated on: five underwent lobectomy and two underwent segmentectomy. In one patient the tumor was judged to be unresectable. Chemotherapy was given to the two patients with small cell carcinoma and radiotherapy was given to one patient with bone metastases. Follow-up was complete for these 11 patients. Data were calculated from detection of second primary cancer. There was one postoperative death from myocardial infarction. Eight other patients died during follow-up: five died of recurrent tumor or metastases, two died of acute cardiac failure, and one died of a perforated ulcer. The 1- and 4-year actuarial survivals were 41% and 30%, respectively. For the patients operated on, 1- and 4-year survivals were 57% and 43%, respectively. There were no survivors at 5 years. Sleeve resection is a valuable method of preserving functional lung tissue. It offers a chance of subsequent resection in patients who have second primary cancer, with acceptable results. (J T horac C ardiovasc S urg 1992;104:1451-5)