Posttransplant Malignancies in Adult Renal and Hepatic Transplant Patients
Samed Rahatli1, Ebru H. Ayvazoglu Soy2, Ozden Altundag1, Gokhan Moray2, Mehmet Haberal2.
1Medical Oncology, Baskent University, Ankara, Turkey; 2Transplantation, Baskent University, Ankara, Turkey
Introduction: The risk of some types of cancer increases after organ transplantation compared to general population and it is well documented in clinical studies. As a result of prolongation of survival and higher number of procedures cancer is a rising health concern in high volume transplantation centers. The occurrence of malignancy has an important impact on short- and long-term graft and patient survival. In this study we evaluate the cancer frequencies in transplant patient’s follow up.
Materials and Methods: Single center data of patients those were underwent solid organ transplatation in Baskent University Medical Faculty Hospital from 1997 to 2017 were retrospectively evaluated. Renal and hepatic transplant patients older than 16 years at the time of transplantation and diagnosed with cancer after transplantation were included the study. In total, 1176 of 2018 renal and 274 of 548 hepatic transplant patients were eligible for the analysis due to age.
Results: Fifty-three (4.5%) of 1176 renal and 9 (3.3%) of 274 hepatic transplant patients developed post transplant cancer during follow-up. Of the total 62 cancer patients, there were 46 males (74.1%) and 16 females (25.9%), with a median age at transplantation of 42.5 years. Overall, the incidence of cancer in transplant recipients was 4.2%. The most frequent cancers was basal and squamous skin cancers seen in 18 patients (29%) and Kaposi’s sarcoma seen in 11 patients (18%). 47 of 62 (%75.8) patients were still alive at the time of the study.
Conclusion: Although there are recent developments in the use of immunosuppressive drugs, posttransplant malignancy is still a health problem. Fortunately most seen cancers have good prognosis and can be cured by surgical resections. Transplant physicians must pay attention to early detection of these diseases.
CANCER PATIENTS n=62 |
RENAL TRANSPLANT n=1176 |
HEPATIC TRANSPLANT n=274 |
Basal Cell Skin Cancer | 10 | 1 |
Squamous Cell Skin Cancer | 6 | 1 |
Lymphoma | 6 | 3 |
Kaposi’s Sarcoma | 11 | - |
Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma | 5 | 1 |
Renal Cell Cancer | 7 | - |
Other Cancers | 8 | 3 |