Risk factors and prevention strategies for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma in transplant recipients

It has been well established that organ transplant recipients (OTRs) are at an increased risk of skin cancer. Studies vary on the exact degree of this risk, but it is likely somewhere between 60 and 100 times more likely that an OTR patient will develop skin cancer. The management of skin cancer burden in OTRs requires a multidisciplinary approach with the transplant team, dermatologists, and oncology. In many major hospital systems, there are dedicated transplant dermatology clinics that allow for specialized and more frequent screenings of this high-risk population. Here we discuss the pathogenesis, presentation, and treatment options used by dermatologists to prevent and treat commonly found skin cancers in this vulnerable population.