Premalignant and malignant skin lesions in renal transplant patients

Among 129 renal transplant patients with 3-16 years of posttransplant observation time, and residents in a low ultraviolet radiation area, 25 (19.4%) had premalignant or malignant skin lesions, a 3-fold increase over a control population collected randomly. Thirteen (10.1%) had skin cancer, a 7-fold increase. Nine patients had multiple lesions; none had metastatic disease. Multiple regression analysis revealed age, outdoor occupation, and transplantation/immunosuppression to be equally significant risk factors for skin malignancy. Transplant patients should be educated and periodically examined for early detection of skin malignancies.