Organ transplantation and skin cancer: basic problems and new perspectives
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Updated: Jun 12, 2026

Murine Full-thickness Skin Transplantation
Published on: January 2, 2017
Günther F L Hofbauer1, Jan Nico Bouwes Bavinck, Sylvie Euvrard
1Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Zürich, Switzerland. hofbauer@usz.ch
Abstract:
Solid organ transplant and subsequent graft survival have increased worldwide, while immunosuppression has prevented rejection with increasing success. Side effects of cutaneous infection and neoplasm, however, affect the majority of solid organ transplant recipients (OTRs). Squamous cell carcinoma of the skin (SCC) is the most common neoplasm overall following organ transplant with a risk that is 60-100 times greater than for the immunocompetent population. This review focuses on questions of ongoing debate about SCC formation in OTRs such as viral carcinogenesis, systemic photoprotection, photosensitization by drugs, the impact of immunosuppressive drugs and inflammation as a driver of carcinogenesis.
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