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Background Renal transplant recipients have an increased cancer risk. The mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor sirolimus (SRL) has immunosuppressive and antitumour activities but knowledge about its use in recipients with cancer is limited. Methods We retrospectively analysed 726 renal allograft recipients converted to SRL from 10 German transplant centres. Patient and graft survival were analysed depending on malignancy status prior to conversion and tumour entity. Results Malignancy before conversion to SRL was reported in 230 patients, with 137 patients having skin cancers and 101 having solid cancers. Cancer occurred 4.6 ± 9.4 (median 3.0) years after transplantation. Basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and Bowen's disease were the most prevalent skin cancers, while carcinomas of the kidney, colon and breast were the most prevalent solid cancers before conversion. Patients with prior malignancy were older and had better renal function at conversion compared with patients without a history of cancer. After conversion to SRL, cancer incidence rates (IRs) of all tumours were lower compared with rates before conversion. Cancer IRs after conversion were higher in patients with malignancy before conversion compared with those without. Patient survival was worse in patients with solid cancers compared with patients with skin cancers or without malignancies. Biopsy-proven acute rejections in the first year after conversion were less frequent in patients with malignancy compared with those without. Graft survival and renal function in all cancer types were better than in patients converted to SRL without cancers. Conclusions Conversion to SRL in patients with a history of cancer is safe regarding renal function and graft survival, while patient survival is largely dependent on tumour entity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Drug-induced immunosuppression is necessary to prevent rejection of the foreign organ in transplanted patients, but neoplastic and virus-associated skin diseases are frequent complications. Reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) recently emerged as a promising tool for the early diagnosis of skin lesions., Materials and Methods: A total of 61 skin lesions, among them 20 basal cell carcinomas, six Bowen's diseases, 23 actinic keratoses, and 12 verrucae, were analyzed. All lesions were clinically evaluated followed by RCM evaluation by two independent dermatologists and histological examination., Results: For the diagnosis of basal cell carcinoma, a sensitivity of 100% by both investigators (INV I + II) and a specificity of 100% by INV I and 80% by INV II were achieved. The sensitivity average rate for RCM features reached by both investigators ranged between 60% and 100%, and the specificity between 55% and 90%. For the diagnosis of actinic keratosis, a concordant sensitivity of 94.4% and a specificity of 80% (INV I) and 60% (INV II) were detected. The sensitivity average rate of specific RCM criteria ranged between 72.3% and 97.2%, whereas specificity ranged between 20% and 90%. Regarding verrucae, RCM confirmed the histological diagnosis with a sensitivity of 85.7% (INV I) and 100% (INV II), while specificity was 100% and 80%, respectively., Conclusion: Reflectance confocal microscopy resulted to be a reliable tool for the noninvasive diagnosis of neoplastic and virus-associated skin changes in organ transplant recipients. Nevertheless, given the frequency and diagnostic complexity of the hyperkeratotic lesions occurring post-transplantation, larger cohorts of patients are required to confirm and consolidate these findings., (© 2019 The Authors. Skin Research and Technology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)