Basal cell carcinoma in a series of renal transplant recipients: epidemiology and clinicopathologic features.

BACKGROUND: Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common malignancy among Caucasians worldwide. The risk of BCC is 10-16 times higher among immunosuppressed transplant recipients compared with the general population.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the incidence, clinical presentation, histologic features, treatment and recurrence rate of BCC in a cohort of 69 renal transplant recipients (RTRs; 53 male).

METHODS: Retrospective population-based cohort study of immunosuppressed RTRs.

RESULTS: Ten of 69 patients (14.5%, five male) developed a total of 17 BCCs, mostly on the head. Mean age at first diagnosis of BCC was 65.5 +/- 8.5 years, and latency between kidney transplantation and diagnosis of the first BCC was 11.1 +/- 6.3 years (mean +/- SD). The risk of female RTRs to develop BCCs appeared to be three times higher than the risk of male RTRs, and female RTRs developed BCCs earlier after transplantation. Nodular BCC was the most common histologic subtype. Most BCCs in these RTRs were treated by complete surgical excision. Recurrence after surgical excision was observed in one of the 10 patients (10%).

CONCLUSION: Our results suggest female RTRs to be at higher risk to develop cutaneous BCCs than male RTRs. There are no differences in localization and clinicopathologic presentation of BCCs developing in RTRs compared with immunocompetent patients. Therefore, BCCs in RTRs do not require different treatment than in other patient groups. As patients tend to develop a second BCC, close follow-up is mandatory.