title: Kaposi's sarcoma in renal transplant recipients: pathogenetic relation between the reduced density of Langerhans cells and cyclosporin-A therapy.
abstract: Patients treated with immunosuppressive drugs can develop cancers. The authors present two cases of Kaposi's sarcoma in kidney transplant patients who had been treated with azathioprine, steroids and cyclosporin-A; during this treatment the Langerhans cells decreased and Kaposi's sarcoma appeared. Discontinuation or reduction of the dosage of cyclosporin-A led to complete regression of the illness, and the Langerhans cells reappeared. We suggest that cyclosporin-A damages the immunological function of the epidermal Langerhans cells, and that this is the primary factor in the development of Kaposi's sarcoma.
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephrology, S. Anna Hospital, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: P L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Bedani
authors.forename: I S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Risichella
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Strumia
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cavazzini
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gilli
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Calastrini
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Verzola
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Stabellini
mesh_terms: D002452:Cell Count / Q000187:drug effects; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D007801:Langerhans Cells / Q000187:drug effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000139:chemically induced*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced*
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016572:Cyclosporine