title: Early diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer in Japanese kidney transplant recipients: a single center experience.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The incidence of malignancies in kidney transplant recipients is increasing. Breast cancer is a common malignancy after kidney transplantation and can be more aggressive in kidney transplant recipients than in the general population. In this study, we evaluated the incidence and prognosis of breast cancer in kidney transplant recipients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Between 1993 and 2013, 750 kidney transplant patients were followed-up at our center. Since 1999, annual physical examination, mammography, and breast ultrasonography have been performed for such patients. Diagnostic studies, including core needle or mammotome biopsy, were performed for suspected malignancies. Patients with malignant neoplasm were administered the appropriate treatment and followed-up to assess tumor response and symptoms. Nine patients were diagnosed with breast cancer during the follow-up period. The mean age at the initial detection of the breast cancer was 47.7 ± 8.4 years. The mean interval from transplantation to diagnosis was 148.7 ± 37.1 months. Of the 9 patients, 8 were detected through the screening test; 7 were treated with breast conservative surgery and 1 was treated with modified radical mastectomy. The cancer stages were 0 (n = 2), I (n = 6), and II (n = 1). The incidence of breast cancer tended to be unchanged with time between transplantation and diagnosis, inconsistent with the increase in the duration of immunosuppression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Annual screening tests are crucial in the early diagnosis of breast cancer. Early treatment of breast cancer can result in an excellent prognosis in kidney transplant recipients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 E4 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871 Japan.
authors.forename: Taigo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 E4 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871 Japan.
authors.forename: Yoichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kakuta
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 E4 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871 Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuaki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamanaka
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Tokyo Women's Medical University Graduate School of Medicine, 8-1 Kawada-cho, Shinjyuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-8666 Japan.
authors.forename: Masayoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Okumi
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 E4 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871 Japan.
authors.forename: Toyofumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 E4 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871 Japan.
authors.forename: Ryoichi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Imamura
authors.affiliation: Department of Advanced Technology for Transplantation, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871 Japan.
authors.forename: Naotsugu
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ichimaru
authors.affiliation: Department of Advanced Technology for Transplantation, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871 Japan.
authors.forename: Shiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takahara
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 E4 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871 Japan.
authors.forename: Norio
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nonomura
keywords: Breast cancer; Kidney transplantation; Prognosis; Screening