Cancer as a late-onset complication of kidney transplantation.
A Scandinavian material of 2,683 transplanted patients, 59 of whom were diagnosed to have tumours, was analysed and the following found: 1) a greatly increased incidence of mesenchymal tumours (especially reticulosarcomata), 2) a greatly increased occurrence of "chronic pyelonephritis" (as a primary disease) among tumour patients, and 3) a correlation between tumour incidence and HLA-B mismatch between donor and recipient. Based on this material it is proposed that chronic immunostimulation in the recipient caused by graft antigens and bacteria and virus antigens puts a stop to T-suppressor lymphocyte function and subsequent proliferation of the lymphoid tissue, and that this is a major factor in the appearance of tumours derived from mesenchymal tissue, whereas the occurrence of ectodermal tumours is a result of a series of other oncogenetic factors.
D002908:Chronic Disease; D006680:HLA Antigens; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011704:Pyelonephritis / Q000601:surgery; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
D006680:HLA Antigens