Largest Study in the world on Cancer mortality in Kidney transplant recipients

The largest study of its kind in the world was done in Britian to evaluate cancer mortality in kidney transplant recipients. A cohort of over 24000 transplant patients was assembled with the co-operation of the UKTSSA and followed up to 1998. Observed numbers of deaths from different cancers were compared to expected numbers which were calculated by applying national age – specific mortality rates to the corresponding person at risk. A 10 fold excess was for skin cancer deaths. In addiction however, significant excesses were found for stomach, collar, pancreas, kidney, lung, bladder cancers and leukaemia. No significant excesses were found for brain, ovary, breast, prostate or rectum cancers.

This study, which over 6000 deaths (and over 1000 cancer deaths) brought into focus the fact that the increased incidence of cancer after transplantation is a major problem of non- specific immune surveillance appeared to be relevant to a wide range of malignancies