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National Centre in HIV ABSTRACT especially those related to end stage kidney disease,
Epidemiology and Clinical Objective To compare cancer incidence in kidney remained significantly increased after reduction of
Research, University of New South
Wales, 376 Victoria St, Sydney, transplant recipients during periods of transplant immunosuppression.
NSW, 2010, Australia function (and immunosuppression) and after transplant
2
School of Public Health and failure (when immunosuppression is ceased or reduced). INTRODUCTION
Community Medicine, University
of New South Wales, Sydney,
Design, setting, and participants Nationwide, population A broad range of cancers, particularly those related to
NSW, 2052, Australia based retrospective cohort study of 8173 Australian infection, occur at excess rates after solid organ trans-
3
Australia and New Zealand kidney transplant recipients registered on the Australia plantation—a situation similar to that seen in HIV
Dialysis and Transplant Registry, and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant Registry who infection.1 In HIV infection, the partial reversal of
Queen Elizabeth Hospital,
Woodville South, SA, 5011,
first received a transplant during 1982-2003. Incident immunodeficiency that is associated with anti-
Australia cancers were ascertained using linkage with national retroviral therapy rapidly and substantially reduces
4
School of Public Health, cancer registry records. the risk of Kaposi’s sarcoma2 and non-Hodgkin’s
University of Sydney, Sydney, Main outcome measures Cancer-specific standardised lymphoma.3 There are few data on whether the risk
NSW, 2006, Australia
5
incidence ratios for periods of transplant function and for of other cancers is also reduced.4-6 In transplant recipi-
Centre for Transplant and Renal
Research, Westmead Millennium dialysis after transplant failure. Incidence was compared ents, clinical regression of cases of Kaposi’s sarcoma7 8
Institute, University of Sydney, between periods using multivariate incidence rate ratios and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma9 10 has been described
Westmead Hospital, Westmead, adjusted for current age, sex, and duration of after reduction of iatrogenic immunosuppression.
NSW, 2145, Australia
6 transplantation. However, as in HIV infection, there are few data on
Department of Preventive and
Social Medicine, University of Results All cases of Kaposi’s sarcoma occurred during whether cancer risk is reduced when immunosuppres-
Otago, Dunedin, 9054, New transplant function. Standardised incidence ratios were sion is ceased.
Zealand significantly elevated during transplant function, but not In kidney transplant recipients, transplant failure
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Disciplines of Medicine and
during dialysis after transplant failure, for non-Hodgkin’s generally leads to the reinstitution of dialysis and the
Public Health, University of
Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, lymphoma, lip cancer, and melanoma. For each of these substantial reduction or complete withdrawal of
Australia cancers, incidence was significantly lower during dialysis immunosuppression.11 This offers a unique opportu-
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University of New South Wales after transplant failure in multivariate analysis (incidence nity to examine the cancer risk profile on reduction of
Cancer Research Centre, Prince of
Wales Clinical School, University
rate ratios 0.20 (95% CI 0.06 to 0.65) for non-Hodgkin’s immunosuppression.12 Recently, we showed that inci-
of New South Wales, Sydney, lymphoma, 0.04 (0.01 to 0.31) for lip cancer, and 0.16 dence of lip cancer,13 non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma,14 and
NSW, 2052, Australia (0.04 to 0.64) for melanoma). In contrast, standardised melanoma15 decreased markedly after kidney trans-
Correspondence to: A E Grulich incidence ratios during dialysis after transplant failure plant failure and reinstitution of dialysis. In the present
agrulich@nchecr.unsw.edu.au
remained significantly elevated for leukaemia and lung paper, we report on the site-specific pattern of cancer
Cite this as: BMJ 2010;340:c570 cancer, and cancers related to end stage kidney disease occurrence during periods of transplant function and
doi:10.1136/bmj.c570 (kidney, urinary tract, and thyroid cancers), with thyroid during periods of dialysis after transplant failure in an
cancer incidence significantly higher during dialysis after Australian cohort of kidney transplant recipients.
transplant failure (incidence rate ratio 6.77 (2.64 to
17.39)). There was no significant difference in incidence METHODS
by transplant function for other cancers. Data sources
Conclusions The effect of immunosuppression on cancer The Australia and New Zealand Dialysis and Trans-
risk is rapidly reversible for some, but not all, cancer plant (ANZDATA) Registry is a comprehensive,
types. Risk reversal was mainly observed for cancers with population based registry of all patients commencing
a confirmed infectious cause. Risk of other cancers, maintenance dialysis or undergoing kidney
BMJ | ONLINE FIRST | bmj.com page 1 of 6
RESEARCH
Cancer-specific standardised incidence ratios (SIR) by transplant function and multivariate incidence rate ratios (IRR). *ICDO-3
and ICD-10 codes for cancers: Kaposi’s sarcoma (C46); non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (ICDO-3 9591, 9670-9729, 9820-9837, 9940,
9948, and 9590 if ICD-10 C82-C85); anogenital (C21 anus, C51-53 vulva, vagina, cervix uteri, C60 penis); oropharyngeal and
oral cavity (C01-C02 tongue, C03-C06 mouth, C09 tonsil, C10 oropharynx); stomach (C16); lip (C00); melanoma (C43);
leukaemia (ICDO-3 9800-9989 excluding 9820-9837, 9940, and 9948); lung (C33-34); colon (C18); breast (C50); prostate
(C61); kidney (C64); urinary tract (C65-C68); thyroid (C73). †Upper confidence interval presented when zero cases observed.
‡Median unbiased estimate.
Cancers related to end stage kidney disease comprehensive data on consecutive periods of trans-
For cancers of the thyroid, kidney, and urinary tract, plantation and dialysis. The principal limitation was
standardised incidence ratios were significantly ele- limited statistical power with which to examine inci-
vated both during transplant function and dialysis dence beyond the period of first transplantation for
after transplant failure. In multivariate analysis, inci- the less common cancers. Nevertheless, this is the
dence was significantly increased during dialysis after first epidemiological study to examine site-specific
transplant failure for thyroid cancer and was non-sig- cancer incidence after transplant failure. Much larger
nificantly increased for cancer of the kidney. There was studies have the potential to further illuminate the rela-
no difference in incidence between periods for cancers tion between risk of specific cancer types and current
of the urinary tract. immune function.
17 Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) and Australasian 24 Barozzi P, Bonini C, Potenza L, Masetti M, Cappelli G, Gruarin P, et al.
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