title: A dedicated dermatology clinic for renal transplant recipients: first 5 years of a New Zealand experience.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cancer following organ transplantation is a growing public health concern. We describe the first 5 years' experience of a dedicated dermatology clinic for renal transplant recipients, the first of its type in New Zealand.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from patients seen in the clinic were collected on a nephrology/dermatology database.
  
  
  RESULTS
  86 of 99 transplant recipients had a baseline dermatology assessment. Seventy-one skin cancers (45 squamous, 25 basal cell carcinomas, 1 melanoma) were found in 17 patients. Eighteen of these were an incidental finding at the baseline post-transplant examination of 7 patients: they had not been noted either by the patient or by their nephrologist. A further 44 cancers were found in 13 patients at follow-up examinations in the dedicated clinic. Squamous and basal cell carcinomas received definitive treatment after 26 and 38 days (median) respectively. A brief analysis showed this to be a cost-effective way of diagnosing and treating skin cancer in this cohort of patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The clinic is enabling prompt diagnosis and cost-effective treatment of skin cancers developing in renal transplant recipients and is also identifying significant numbers of pre-existing skin cancers in these patients.
authors: Department of Dermatology, Parkside Outpatients, Private Bag 4710, Christchurch Hospital, Christchurch 8001, New Zealand. paul.maurice@cdhb.govt.nz
authors: Paul D L
authors: PD
authors: Maurice
authors: Tracy
authors: T
authors: Fenton
authors: Nicholas
authors: N
authors: Cross
authors: Ian A
authors: IA
authors: Thomson
authors: Sarah C
authors: SC
authors: Rennie
authors: Andre M
authors: AM
authors: van Rij
mesh_terms: D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015984:Causality; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D003880:Dermatology / Q000458:organization & administration; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D009520:New Zealand; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*