High frequency and diversity of cutaneous appendageal tumors in organ transplant recipients.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Recipients of organ transplant who are immunosuppressed are at greatly increased risk of nonmelanoma skin cancers compared with the general population, but their risk of appendageal tumors is unknown.

OBJECTIVE:

Our aim was to conduct a systematic examination of cutaneous appendageal tumors arising in recipients of organ transplants compared with individuals who were immunocompetent (ICP).

METHODS:

We conducted a retrospective, clinicopathologic analysis of consecutive appendageal tumors arising in 650 recipients of organ transplants and in the general population of approximately 605,000 people served by our institution.

RESULTS:

Between 1993 and 1998, 231 appendageal tumors were identified in 211 individuals; 23 tumors were found in 21 of 650 patients undergoing transplant (3%), 10 in individuals with other immunosuppressive conditions, 3 in 2 patients with Muir-Torre syndrome, and 195 in 178 apparently ICP. In addition to the increased frequency of appendageal tumors among recipients of transplants, malignant tumors were overrepresented (43% of transplant tumors vs 4% in ICP; P <.0001) as were tumors of sebaceous origin (30% vs 6%; P <.0001).

CONCLUSIONS:

Recipients of organ transplant who are immunosuppressed have a greatly increased risk of cutaneous appendageal tumors compared with apparently ICP. In addition, their tumors are more likely to be malignant and of sebaceous origin.

• Authors: Catherine A Harwood, Jane M McGregor, Victoria J Swale, Charlotte M Proby, Irene M Leigh, Robert Newton, S Mohsen Khorshid, Rino Cerio
• Journal: Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology (J Am Acad Dermatol) Vol. 48 Issue 3 Pg. 401-8 (Mar 2003) ISSN: 0190-9622 [Print] United States
• PMID: 12637920 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Topics

• Adult
• Age Distribution
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Biopsy, Needle
• Carcinoma, Skin Appendage (epidemiology, immunology, pathology)
• Case-Control Studies
• Female
• Follow-Up Studies
• Graft Rejection
• Graft Survival
• Humans
• Immunocompromised Host (immunology)
• Immunohistochemistry
• Incidence
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Organ Transplantation (adverse effects)
• Reference Values
• Retrospective Studies
• Risk Assessment
• Sex Distribution
• Skin Neoplasms (epidemiology, immunology, pathology)
• Transplantation Immunology