Skin cancer after pancreas transplantation

Abstract

Background: Skin cancer in patients who have undergone pancreas transplantation (PT) has not been extensively characterized.

Objective: We sought to describe the incidence, tumor burden, and risk factors for skin cancer in PT recipients at Mayo Clinic from 1998 through 2006.

Methods: A retrospective study was performed by analyzing outcomes among a cohort of pancreas allograft recipients at Mayo Clinic between 1998 and 2006.

Results: Among 216 allogeneic PT recipients at 2, 5, and 10 years posttransplantation, the cumulative incidence of any skin cancer was 4.7%, 12.7%, and 19.6%; the cumulative incidence of squamous cell carcinoma was 2.8%, 10.3%, and 16.7%; and the cumulative incidence of basal cell carcinoma was 2.4%, 7.8%, and 17.4%, respectively. The cumulative incidence of a second squamous cell carcinoma developing was 56% at 2 years; the cumulative incidence of a second basal cell carcinoma developing was 36% at 2 years. Of the risk factors examined, only age and having a skin cancer before transplantation were predictive of skin cancer development.

Limitations: This was a retrospective study. Results from a large tertiary center may not be generalizable.

Conclusions: Nonmelanoma skin cancers commonly occur in recipients of PT, and those patients who have a history of nonmelanoma skin cancer have a very high likelihood of further skin cancer development.