Aggressive Cutaneous Malignancies: A New and Dangerous Phenomenon in Transplant Patients

Abstract

In the general population, the incidence of cutaneous malignancies has been rising. However, a particular high-risk population—transplant recipients—suffer at an alarming rate from the incidence of aggressive cutaneous malignancies. The purpose of this review is to examine the latest literature on the epidemiology, risk factors, pathogenesis, prognosis, prevention, and management of highly aggressive cutaneous cancers in the transplant population. With innovations in immunosuppression, surgical technique, and perioperative care, organ transplant recipients are now living longer but now suffer from increasing morbidity secondary to the rising incidence of these aggressive cutaneous cancers. Currently, the three most common causes of delayed mortality following organ transplantation are complications associated with infectious diseases, cardiovascular disease and malignancy. Cutaneous malignancies have now become the most common malignancy in this unique population.