Outcomes of melanoma in recipients of solid organ transplant

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

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

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.

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.

Retrospective review and low number of cases are limitations.

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