Cancer Incidence in Organ Transplant Recipients
Summary
Recipients of solid organ transplants face a substantially elevated risk of developing cancer compared with the general population. This heightened incidence is driven by long-term immunosuppressive therapy, which diminishes immune surveillance and allows oncogenic viruses or latent neoplastic cells to proliferate. Patterns of post-transplant malignancy vary by organ type, immunosuppressive regimen and geographic factors, but common sites include non-melanoma skin, lymphoid tissues and anogenital regions. The global burden of transplant-associated cancer continues to grow in step with expanding transplant programmes, emphasising the need for tailored screening and prevention strategies. In addition to de novo tumours, there is concern about transmission of donor-derived malignancies, although recent analyses suggest that strict donor assessment can mitigate this risk and safely broaden the donor pool.
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Cancer Incidence in Organ Transplant Recipients publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in cancer incidence in organ transplant recipients across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Standardised Incidence Ratio (SIR): The ratio of observed to expected cancer cases in a study population, adjusted for age and sex.
Immunosuppressive regimen: A prescribed combination of drugs used to prevent organ rejection by dampening the recipient’s immune response.
De novo malignancy: A new cancer arising after transplantation, distinct from donor-derived or recurrent tumours.
mTORC1/C2: Two multiprotein complexes of the mechanistic target of rapamycin involved in regulating cell growth, proliferation and survival; often dysregulated in cancer.
References
- Cancer risk following organ transplantation: a nationwide cohort study in Sweden. British Journal of Cancer (2003).
- Sirolimus effects on cancer incidence after kidney transplantation: a meta‐analysis. Cancer Medicine (2015).
- Tumorigenic role of tacrolimus through mTORC1/C2 activation in post-transplant renal cell carcinomas. British Journal of Cancer (2024).
- Organ Transplants From Deceased Donors With Primary Brain Tumors and Risk of Cancer Transmission. JAMA Surgery (2023).
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