Purpose The impact of postoperative cardiopulmonary complications on long-term outcomes has not been established. We investigated the effects of acute postoperative cardiopulmonary complications not only on cancer recurrence, but also on cardiovascular or respiratory events in the chronic phase after lung cancer surgery. Methods From a prospective single-institution database of 496 consecutive patients, who underwent lung cancer surgery between August, 2008 and December, 2011, medical records, including information about cardiovascular or respiratory events and cancer recurrence in the chronic phase (>6 months) after surgery, were analyzed retrospectively. Results were compared between patients with vs. those without postoperative cardiopulmonary complications in the acute phase. Results Postoperative cardiopulmonary complications were identified in 90 (20 %) patients. There were significantly more cardiovascular or respiratory events in the chronic phase after lung cancer surgery in the patients who had suffered postoperative cardiopulmonary complications in the acute phase than in those who had not (23 vs. 5 %; p Conclusions Postoperative cardiopulmonary complications in the acute phase were associated with a higher incidence of cardiovascular or respiratory events in the chronic phase after lung cancer surgery. Clinical trial registration number JPRN-UMIN2370