[Viruses involved in allograft recipients'cutaneous carcinomas]

Cutaneous carcinomas are frequent in renal allograft recipients. Their treatment can be difficult especially in cases of multiple carcinomas. The aim of this study was to determine whether human papillomavirus are more frequent in patients group with multiple cutaneous carcinomas and whether other viruses such as Epstein-Barr virus, cytomegalovirus, and herpes simplex might be associated in this kind of tumour.

Forty-three patients were included. Twenty-two had a single carcinoma (group 1) and 21 had multiple cutaneous carcinomas (group 2). Histologic analysis and in situ hybridization were used to search for Epstein-Barr virus, human papillomavirus, herpes simplex virus and cytomegalovirus latency genes.

In both groups, epidermoid carcinomas were more frequent than basal cell carcinomas and delay between graft and first carcinoma was similar (5 years). In situ hybridization was more often positive in group 2 (41/50) than in group 1 (13/22). Human papillomavirus DNA was detected more frequently in the group with multiple carcinomas (26/50) than in the group with a single carcinoma (6/22). Moreover, cytomegalovirus was more frequent in group 2.

This study shows a higher prevalence of human papillomavirus DNA in the carcinomas of the multiple carcinoma population. Moreover, for the first time, cytomegalovirus DNA was detected in carcinomas of renal allograft recipients with a higher frequency in the patients with multiple carcinomas.