Low incidence of malignancies following renal transplantation in India

Summary: Renal transplant recipients have an increased incidence of certain malignancies. the nature of these malignancies varies with the geographic location and the nature of immunosuppressive therapy. There are no reports on the incidence and spectrum of cancers in renal transplant recipients from India. In a retrospective analysis of 294 patients followed up for more than 6 months after transplantation at our centre, we noted six malignancies in four patients, giving an incidence of 2%. Among 157 of those who were followed up for more than 2 years, the incidence was 3.8%. the mean duration of follow up was 5.8 years (range 6 months to 18.5 years). Cyclosporine was given for the first year after transplantation in 168 patients and 126 patients received only azathioprine and steroids. the interval between transplantation and development of malignancies varied from 24 to 169 months. the tumours included extranodal non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) involving the central nervous system and small bowel and carcinoma of the tongue in one case each. the fourth patient, who survived for 14 years after transplantation, developed three squamous cell malignancies during this period: carcinoma of the cervix, perianal region and nasopharynx. Both patients with NHL died despite surgical excision of the tumour. None of the patients developed a cutaneous malignancy. In conclusion, renal transplant recipients living in a tropical environment have alow incidence of malignancies compared to those in temperate zones. This discrepancy can be explained by an absence of malignant tumours of the exposed skin in our patients. the absence of any tumours within the first 2 years is also unusual.