Malignancy After Solid Organ Transplantation: An Overview

Abstract

Abstract Learning Objectives After completing this course, the reader should be able to: Describe the most common malignancies encountered after solid organ transplantation.Discuss the pathogenesis of malignancy after solid organ transplantation.Administer standard treatment for common post–solid organ transplantation malignancies. CME This article is available for continuing medical education credit at CME.TheOncologist.com With improving survival following solid organ transplantation, clinicians must be aware of post-transplant complications. One increasingly frequent complication is the development of malignancy after transplantation. The most common malignancies encountered in the post–solid organ transplant setting are nonmelanoma skin cancers, post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders, and Kaposi's sarcoma (KS). The pathogenesis of these tumors is likely related to the immunosuppressive drugs used post-transplantation and subsequent viral infection. Treatment involves modification of the immunosuppressive drug regimen, resection of localized disease, and chemotherapy. We present the second reported case of a patient with lung transplantation who developed KS in the lung graft.