Different Course of Nonpigmented Skin Cancers in Patients Treated with Immunosuppression after Organ Transplantation - A Case Series

Sep 23, 2026

Uploaded by Sarah

Solid organ transplantation has expanded long-term survival in recipients, but chronic immunosuppressive therapy increases the risk and shapes the clinical course of nonmelanoma skin cancers. This case series presents three post-transplant patients treated for skin cancer between 2020 and 2023, illustrating distinct disease trajectories under immunosuppression. The authors discuss more aggressive patterns, including multiple lesions with SCC and BCC, early and rapid progression despite prompt therapy, and atypical presentations that complicate diagnosis. Conclusions emphasize the need for a special oncological approach.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages8

Reading Time20 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Study aims and case series overview

Case Presentation

Patient 1: multiple lesions and mixed nonmelanoma cancers

Patient 2: aggressive progression despite early treatment

Patient 3: atypical clinical picture and diagnostic difficulty

Conclusions

Case Reports in Dermatology | Case Rep Dermatol 2025;17:196–203 | | | --- | --- | | DOI: 10.1159/000545836
Received: January 10, 2025
Accepted: March 25, 2025
Published online: May 28, 2025 | © 2025 The Author(s) .
Published by S. Karger AG, Basel [www.karger.com/cde](www.karger.com/cde) | This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC) ([http://www.karger.com/Services/OpenAccessLicense](http://www.karger.com/Services/OpenAccessLicense)). Usage and distribution for commercial purposes requires written permission. Case Series Different Course of Nonpigmented Skin Cancers in Patients Treated with Immunosuppression after Organ Transplantation: A Case Series Monika Łąckaa, b Paulina Berneckab Karolina Kondeja, b Jerzy Jankaua, b a Department of Plastic Surgery, University Clinical Centre, Gdańsk, Poland; bFaculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland Keywords Nonmelanoma skin cancer · Solid organ transplant · Immunosuppressive therapy · Squamous cell carcinoma · Basal cell carcinoma Abstract Introduction: In 2023, solid organs were transplanted in 1,400 patients in Poland. Nonmelanoma skin cancer such as squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) or basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common malignancy in solid organ transplant recipients. Aims of the study were to present cases and discuss the possible course of skin cancer in patients after organ transplantation. Case Presentation: The study involved 3 patients after organ transplantation treated for skin cancer in the Department of Plastic Surgery of the University of Gdańskin the years 2020–2023 . Each patient is an example of a different course of the disease. In the case of patients treated with immunosuppression, a more aggressive course of the cancer should be considered, which may take various forms. One of the variants that we are dealing with in the ﬁrst patient is the occurrence of multiple lesions, the co-occurrence of SCC and BCC, and frequent local recurrences. In the case of the second patient, we are dealing with avery aggressive course despite the early initiation of appropriate treatment. Another example of a different course is an atypical clinical picture that makes it difﬁcult to make the correct diagnosis, which we observe in the third patient. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates that due to the much higher morbidity, aggressive, rapid progression of the skin cancer disease, and unfavorable prognosis, population after transplantation requires a special oncological approach. © 2025 The Author(s) . Published by S. KargerAG, Basel Correspondence to: Jerzy Jankau, [jjankau](jjankau@ gumed.edu.pl)[@](jjankau@ gumed.edu.pl)[ gumed.edu.pl](jjankau@ gumed.edu.pl) Case Reports in Dermatology Case Rep Dermatol 2025;17:196–203 197 | DOI: 10.1159/000545836 | © 2025 The Author(s) . Published by S. Karger AG, Basel [www.karger.com/cde](www.karger.com/cde) | | --- | --- | Łącka et al.: Skin Cancers in Patients after Organ Transplantation: A Case Series Introduction In 2023, solid organs were transplanted in 1,400 patients in Poland. Due to the continuous improvement of the methods of organ harvest and transplantation, as well as the improvement of the immunosuppression protocols used, it is possible to maintain a properly functioning organ for many years [1] . Increasing long-term survival rate in solid organ transplant recipients (SOTR) has led to the fact that the number of patients living after organ transplantation is increasing every year [2] . Therefore, in everyday practice, we can observe long-term complications associated with the chronic use of immunosuppressive drugs [3] . Nonmelanoma skin cancer such as squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) or basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common malignancy in SOTR [1, 4] . More than 50% of posttransplant patients develop keratinocyte carcinoma within 20 years posttransplant [5] . Among the docu

FAQs

What is the purpose of this case series?

To present three clinical cases and discuss possible courses of skin cancer in patients after solid organ transplantation treated with immunosuppression.

How does immunosuppression influence the course of nonpigmented skin cancers?

The disease course can be more aggressive, with higher rates of recurrence and metastasis, and can progress rapidly or present atypically.

Why can diagnosis be challenging in some post-transplant skin cancer cases?

Atypical clinical pictures may make it difficult to establish the correct diagnosis, as illustrated by the third patient.

Sep 23, 2026

Uploaded by Sarah