Malignancies after Renal Transplantation

Keimyung Medical Journal 2006;25(1):1-9.

신이식 후 발생한 악성종양

진규복; 장미현; 곽진호; 성정훈; 황은아; 한승엽; 박성배; 김현철

Abstract

The incidence of malignancy after renal transplantation is remarkably higher than that in the general population. Therefore; malignancy represents a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with a long-term surviving graft. We reviewed retrospectively the records of 676 patients who received renal transplantation between November 1982 and December 2005 and had been followed for at least 6 months post-transplantation. The overall prevalence of malignancy was 3.0%: five gastrointestinal; four lymphoproliferative diseases; four respiratory tract; two skin cancer; two native renal cell carcinoma; two thyroid; one breast. The mean age at transplantation in the malignancy cases was significantly higher than the other recipients (43.2 ± 10.5 yr vs. 35.4 ± 11.3 yr; p<0.01). The period between transplantation and the diagnosis of malignancy was 63 ± 36.2 mo (4-161 mo). Twelve patients died with a functioning graft at an average of 9 mo after diagnosis. In this study; malignancy was third most common cause of death in renal transplant recipients following infection and vascular accidents. More concern should be addressed not only to survival of the graft but also to the optimal monitoring of immunosuppression and routine regular examination to diminish the risk of malignancy.

Key Words: Malignancy, Mortality, Renal transplantation