Management of organ transplant recipients attending a high‐throughput skin cancer surgery and surveillance clinic in Queensland

Abstract

The incidence of skin cancer in organ transplant recipients (OTRs) is very high, due mainly to long-term immunosuppressive therapy. The problem is particularly severe for OTRs living in Queensland, Australia, and results in significant mortality. To describe the experience of the first dedicated outpatient high-throughput transplant skin clinic in Queensland. This prospective evaluation study was conducted at a newly established, outpatient transplant skin cancer surgery and surveillance clinic. Participants (89 OTRs and 12 non-OTRs) were referred to the Princess Alexandra Hospital Transplant Skin Clinic during December 2016 to May 2017, and were each followed for 3 months. Self-completed questionnaires were administered at baseline and the end of follow-up (n = 94), and details of any skin cancers occurring in that period were extracted from hospital records. In the 3-month follow-up of 101 participants, a total of 615 skin lesions were detected in the 3-month follow-up of 101 participants, of which 478 (78%) were treated in the clinic and 55 (9%) were referred to another specialist. Of the 478 treated lesions, 268 were histopathologically confirmed skin cancers, equivalent to 2·7 (95% confidence interval 2·5-2·8) skin cancers per participant per 3 months. The overall number needed to treat for any skin cancer was 1·4 (95% confidence interval 1·3-1·5). Three-quarters (374) of in-clinic treatments were surgical, and most (90%) were complete excisions. The median time from detection of skin cancer to excision was 7 days. This high-volume surgical outpatient transplant skin clinic enables efficient treatment of skin cancers in very-high-risk OTRs.