"Organ Transplant Patients Largely Unaware of Increased Skin Cancer Risk"

Looking back on this article might still be useful ...
"SAN ANTONIO, TX -- February 4, 2008 -- "A majority of organ transplant patients are unaware of their increased risk for developing skin cancer, and they are not taking adequate sun protective measures or seeing a dermatologist for skin exams.

Researchers reported these findings in a press briefing here on February 1 at the American Academy of Dermatology 66th Annual Meeting (AAD).

Increased susceptibility of organ transplant patients to skin cancer is the result of the necessary and ongoing use of immunosuppressive drugs.

'The incidence of skin cancer in solid organ transplant recipients is up to 200-fold that of age-matched controls. Further, skin cancers in transplant patients tend to be more aggressive and metastasize more frequently,' the authors wrote as background to their study.

'The further a person is out from their transplant and the greater the accumulated use of immunosuppressive drugs, the higher the risk of skin cancer,' said Summer Youker, MD, Assistant Professor of Dermatology, St. Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States.

'We found that education is key, but education that is not restricted to the hospital setting at the time of the transplant. Patients are not really thinking about this potential problem while they are in recovery from a major organ transplant,' Dr. Youker noted.

The prospective study included solid organ transplant recipients attending the outpatient transplant clinics at Saint Louis University.

A total of 155 subjects completed a 2-page survey designed to evaluate awareness of skin cancer risk, compliance with skin cancer preventive measures, and attitudes about sunscreen use and skin screenings by a dermatologist. Of the total number of subjects, 63 per cent were males and 37 per cent were females.

The investigators found that 65 per cent of respondents did not know they were at risk for skin cancer, and 79 per cent of respondents said that they recalled no discussion postoperatively about the risk of skin cancer.

Overall, 19 per cent had been examined by a dermatologist since the transplant; 16 per cent reported getting annual skin exams.

They gave the following reasons for not seeing a dermatologist: 'did not know about the increased risk' (65 per cent); and 'do not want to attend another doctor's appointment' (7 per cent).

Thirty-two percent reported wearing sunscreen regularly. This was slightly more than the 22 per cent who reported that they used sunscreen regularly before transplantation.

Subjects gave the following reasons for not wearing sunscreen: 'I forget to put it on' (30 per cent); 'not in sun very much' (25 per cent); 'I don't think it is important to use sunscreen' (18 per cent); 'I like looking tan' (12 per cent); and 'takes too much time to put on' (6 per cent).

'Transplant patients need to be engaged in ongoing education about the risk of skin cancer since the risk increases with time,' concluded Dr. Youker. 'Followup with patients for the specific purpose of education about skin cancer susceptibility is essential, and encouragement of regular examinations by a dermatologist and use of sunscreen is key. Such follow-up just isn't happening now,' she added."

Is such follow-up happening now ? ...

Source