Abstract

Skin carcinomas are regarded as frequent comlications in patients after renal transplantation. The authors present their own experience concerning skin carcimnomas in renal transplant patients. Skin carcinomas were diagnosed in 5 out of 86 patients with renal transplants (5.8%). In one case nodular basal cell carcinoma was found clinically and histopathologically on the nose. The remaining patients developed squamous cell carcinomas. In one of them malignant process was limited only to the epidermis - squamous cell carcinoma in situ (Bowen's disease), and clinically it showed atypical features of verrucous lesion. In the next patient SCCs were diagnosed in wart-like lesions. Histopathology of several lesions revealed similar features with epidermal proliferation, dysplastic and atypical cells. In some biopsies typical archicecture both for viral warts and Bowen's disease was observed. This suggests that skin carcinomas in renal transplant patients might have a viral origin. The possible factors involved in the etiopathogenesis of skin carcinomas in patients with renal allografts were discussed. Moreover, it is suggested that all wart-like lesions on sun-exposed skin in these patients shouled be surgically removed and examined histopathologically.

Keywords: skin carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, renal transplantation, Immunosuppression