title: Skin cancer in renal allograft recipients--experience in different ethnic groups residing in the same geographical region.
abstract: Cancer is a recognized long-term complication of kidney transplantation. Skin cancer is the most common post-transplant malignancy in developed countries but information is limited on the nature of skin cancer in allograft recipients from developing countries followed up over an extended period. The records of all patients (n = 542) who had received kidney transplants (n = 623) at our institution over a 23-yr period were reviewed and those with skin cancer were identified. Demographic, clinical, and pathologic details were collected. After a mean follow up of 6.3 yr 11 (5.9%) white patients had skin cancer of whom nine (82%) were male. No non-whites had skin cancer. In white patients skin cancer accounted for 68% of all post-transplant malignancies. Squamous cell carcinoma was the most common malignant skin lesion and 84% of all lesions occurred in sun-exposed areas. Specific immunosuppression did not appear to influence the number of lesions or the interval from transplantation to cancer development. Patients responded well to treatment with no mortality related to the skin cancer. Skin cancer is relatively unique to patients of European origin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Stellenbosch and Tygerberg Academic Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa. rmm@sun.ac.za
authors.forename: M Rafique
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Moosa
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gralla
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001379:Azathioprine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000209:etiology; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000209:etiology; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D013472:Sunlight; D044465:White People
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016572:Cyclosporine; D001379:Azathioprine