Kaposi's sarcoma in renal transplant recipients: pathogenetic relation between the reduced density of Langerhans cells and cyclosporin-A therapy.
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.
Bedani
P L
PL
Division of Nephrology, S. Anna Hospital, Ferrara, Italy.
Risichella
I S
IS
Strumia
R
R
Cavazzini
L
L
Gilli
P
P
Calastrini
C
C
Verzola
A
A
Stabellini
G
G
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*
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016572:Cyclosporine