Aggressive Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Organ Transplant Recipients

Aggressive Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Organ Transplant Recipients

To identify risk factors for aggressiveness in Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the skin in organ transplant recipients.

Squamous Cell Carcinomas (SCC) are one of the most common skin cancers. They belong to the epithelial neoplasm of the skin, which manifest a local aggressive growth and have potential for metastasis. Organ transplant recipients have a hundredfold higher incidence of SCC.

Unfortunately the primary tumor, regional nodes, metastasis (TNM)-Classification for the prognosis of SCC in this group of patient has not yet been established. Therefore there are no standardised criteria for evaluation of local recurrence or prognosis.

The aim of this study is to identify criteria, which permit a risk assessment relating to aggressiveness of SCC.

Inclusion Criteria:

Organ transplant recipients with:

• > 9 SCC in total or
• > 2 SCC per year (in any one year) or
• any single "index" SCC that has a very poorly differentiated cell morphology or that behaved aggressively in Terms of local recurrence or local/systemic metastasis

Exclusion Criteria:

• Non organ transplant recipients