Declining incidence of keratinocyte carcinoma in organ transplant recipients

Abstract

Our study is the first to demonstrate a significant reduction over the past two decades in the incidences of both SCC and BCC following solid organ transplantation. The SCC-to-BCC ratio was maintained, demonstrating that both are reducing equally. This trend coincided with temporal changes in immunosuppressive protocols and the introduction of skin cancer prevention programmes. What's already known about this topic? Prior studies have shown that the risk of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) has declined over recent decades following solid organ transplantation. It is not known whether the risk of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) has reduced in line with this. What does this study add? Our study documents a progressive fall in the risk of SCC and BCC following solid organ transplantation over the last two decades. The SCC-to-BCC ratio was maintained, demonstrating that both are reducing equally. The trends observed in our study coincided with temporal changes in immunosuppressive protocols and the introduction of cancer prevention programmes, suggesting that these factors have positively impacted on the risk of keratinocyte carcinoma in this cohort.