Head and neck cancer in renal transplant patients in Finland.
CONCLUSIONS
This study found a 0.8% incidence of non-cutaneous head and neck cancer during a mean follow-up of 10 years. The benefits of successful renal transplantation clearly outweigh the observed risk of malignancy.


OBJECTIVE
Increased cancer incidence after organ transplantation is well documented but few studies have reported on the rate of head and neck malignancies among these patients. This study aimed to determine the incidence and specific sites of head and neck cancer in a nationwide series of renal transplant patients in Finland.


METHODS
Data from the National Kidney Transplant Registry and the Finnish Cancer Registry were used. A total of 2884 kidney transplant patients from the period 1964 to 1997 were followed for cancer incidence during the period from 1967 to 2003.


RESULTS
There were 113 non-lymphomatous head and neck malignancies. The standardized incidence ratio (SIR), as compared with the general population, was 13.6, with a 95% confidence interval (CI) of 11.2-16.2. The SIR was significantly elevated for cancers of the skin (47.3, 95% CI 36.3-60.7), lip (31.8, 95% CI 20.8-46.6), oral cavity (6.5, 95% CI 2.4-14.0) and thyroid (5.8, 95% CI 3.0-10.2).
Mäkitie
Antti A
AA
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland. antti.makitie@helsinki.fi
Lundberg
Marie
M
Salmela
Kaija
K
Kyllönen
Lauri
L
Pukkala
Eero
E
D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male