Man dies from cancer-lung transplant

A man in the UK has died after he was the recipient of a pair of cancerous lungs from a transplant.

The UK Press Association reports Corporal Matthew Millington had the transplant after he fell seriously ill from a supposed incurable respiratory condition, diagnosed while he was serving in Iraq.

Corporal Millington died a year after the transplant took place.

According to Times Online, the organs were from a donor who was believed to have had rolled himself "30 to 50 roll-up cigarettes a day."

He received the double lung transplant over two years ago in Papworth Hospital, the UK's largest specialist cardiothoracic hospital.

However, doctors discovered a tumour in his new lungs and despite radiotherapy, Corporal Millington died just ten months after the operation.

"Papworth Hospital has a very strong track record of high quality outcomes and this is an extremely rare case," said a spokeswomen for the hospital.

"Patients who are accepted on to the transplant waiting list have no other option open to them however we must stress that all donor organs are screened rigorously prior to transplantation."

The hospital concedes that using lungs from donors is not unusual.

Millington's father Lester told a local paper they held no grudges against the hospital and its staff.

"It is a brilliant place and they are so friendly."