title: Malignancy after heart transplantation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study was to assess the incidence and type of malignancies after heart transplantation at a medical institute in Taiwan.
  
  
  METHODS
  From January 1987 to December 2008, a total of 66 patients who survived more than 30 days after transplantation were enrolled in this study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 66 heart transplant recipients, 8 (12.1%) post-transplant malignancies were diagnosed: 5 posttransplant lymphoproliferative diseases (PTLD), 1 prostate cancer, 1 lung cancer, and 1 squamous cell carcinoma of the cheek. The clinical presentations were diverse, and the diagnoses were confirmed by biopsy. Only 1 patient died of PTLD and subsequent multiple organ failure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cancer is a limiting factor for long-term survival after heart transplantation. The most common type in this study was PTLD. Early detection and aggressive treatment results in good response and preserves the allograft.
authors: Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
authors: Po-Lin
authors: PL
authors: Chen
authors: Hsiao-Huang
authors: HH
authors: Chang
authors: I-Ming
authors: IM
authors: Chen
authors: Shiau-Ting
authors: ST
authors: Lai
authors: Chun-Che
authors: CC
authors: Shih
authors: Zen-Chung
authors: ZC
authors: Weng
authors: Yuan-Chen
authors: YC
authors: Hsieh
authors: An-Hang
authors: AH
authors: Yang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000009:adverse effects; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008232:Lymphoproliferative Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D016572:Cyclosporine