Outcomes of melanoma in recipients of solid organ transplant

Dapprich, Daniel C.; Weenig, Roger H.; Rohlinger, Audrey L.; Weaver, Amy L.; Lim Quan, Katherine K.; Keeling, James H.; Walsh, John S.; Otley, Clark C.; Christenson, Leslie J.

doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2008.05.015

« Previous Next »Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology
Volume 59, Issue 3 , Pages 405-417, September 2008

Outcomes of melanoma in recipients of solid organ transplant

Daniel C. Dapprich, MD
- Department of Dermatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
Roger H. Weenig, MD
- Department of Dermatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
Audrey L. Rohlinger, BS
- Division of Biostatistics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
Amy L. Weaver, MS
- Division of Biostatistics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
Katherine K. Lim Quan, MD
- Department of Dermatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
James H. Keeling, MD
- Department of Dermatology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida
John S. Walsh, MD
- Department of Dermatology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida
Clark C. Otley, MD
- Department of Dermatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
- Reprint requests: Clark C. Otley, MD, Department of Dermatology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN 55905.
Leslie J. Christenson, MD
- Department of Dermatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota

Accepted 13 May 2008. published online 16 June 2008.

Background

There is concern that the immunologic tumor malignant melanoma (MM) may have worse outcomes in immunosuppressed hosts than in the general population.

Objective

We sought to describe outcomes of MM in immunosuppressed solid organ transplant recipients and compare them with the general population.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective review of medical charts and pathology slides of cases of MM and solid organ transplantation between 1978 and 2007, with comparison of outcomes.

Results

In all, 48 MMs were identified in 43 transplant recipients. No patient with MM before transplant receipt had melanoma recurrence, subsequent metastasis, or death caused by melanoma. Of patients with MM diagnosed after transplantation, metastases developed in 3 patients, and two patients died of melanoma.

Limitations

Retrospective review and low number of cases are limitations.

Conclusions

Outcomes of MM in immunosuppressed transplant recipients appeared similar to those in prognostically matched nonimmunosuppressed hosts. The small number of cases limited statistical comparisons.

Abbreviations used: AJCC, American Joint Committee on Cancer, MM, malignant melanoma, NMSC, nonmelanoma skin cancer