Skin Cancer Surveillance Program for Solid Organ Transplant Recipients.

Area of Science:

• Transplant Medicine
• Dermatology
• Oncology

Background:

• Solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients have elevated skin cancer risk due to immunosuppression.
• This risk is variable among SOT patients.
• The Skin and Ultraviolet Neoplasia Transplant Risk Assessment Calculator (SUNTRAC) stratifies risk.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of a modified SUNTRAC program (KP-SUNTRAC) on skin cancer screening rates, incidence, and healthcare utilization in SOT recipients.
• To assess the overall skin cancer risk in SOT recipients compared to non-recipients.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort study of adult SOT recipients and matched non-recipients from January 2016 to March 2024.
• Analysis compared pre- and post-implementation periods of the KP-SUNTRAC program.
• Outcomes included skin cancer screenings, incidence rates (BCC, SCC, melanoma, MCC), and healthcare resource utilization.

Main Results:

• SOT recipients had a 7.8-fold increased risk of skin cancer compared to non-recipients.
• Following KP-SUNTRAC implementation, skin cancer detection rates increased.
• Screening rates significantly improved for high- and very high-risk SOT recipients post-implementation.
• Healthcare utilization did not increase.

Conclusions:

• The KP-SUNTRAC program enhanced skin cancer screening and detection in at-risk SOT recipients.
• This targeted surveillance approach improved timely diagnosis without increasing short-term healthcare costs.
• The program shows potential for reducing morbidity and future healthcare expenditures.