Posttransplantation malignancies and treatments [Organ transplantasyonu sonrasi gelisen maligniteler ve tedavileri]

Long term immunosuppressive therapy following organ transplantation increases the risk of de novo malignant diseases development. Between 1985 through 1998, a total of 347 renal and 25 liver transplantations performed in Ege University Medical School Hospital, Department of General and Transplantation Surgery were studied retrospectively. During the follow up period, 15 patients with renal transplants and one with liver transplant have developed malignancy. In the management of the malignant diseases; reduction in the immunosuppression regimen for Kaposi's sarcoma, excision for epidermoid carcinoma in situ and basocellular carcinoma in situ, chemotherapy for lymphoma, conisation for cervix carcinoma in situ and modified radical mastectomy and adjuvant chemotherapy for breast carcinoma were performed. Mortality rate was %18.7(3 patients). Most of the malignancies after transplantation are skin related lesion and if they are diagnosed early are curable without organ loss. We suggest to screen all the patients for malignancy closer than the normal population, yearly mammograms, gynecologic examinations, occult blood and rectosigmoidoscopy and biopsy all skin lesion.