BACKGROUND: Lung cancer is the second commonest malignant tumour, with its splenic metastasis being a rare event. CASE PRESENTATION: We report an exceedingly rare case of a moderate-to-low differentiation squamous cell lung carcinoma in a middle-aged man with a large solitary splenic metastasis detected simultaneously with the primary tumour. Surgical removal of both the primary tumour and the solitary splenic metastasis offered the patient the best treatment option. CONCLUSION: The significance of the present case lies on the one hand in the appearance of a large solitary splenic metastasis from a squamous lung cancer at the time of its initial presentation and on the other in the successful excision of both lesions simultaneously.