De novo malignancy in organ transplant recipients in Taiwan: a nationwide cohort population study

NTRK3 exhibits a pro-oncogenic function in upper tract urothelial carcinomas

Neurotrophic receptor tyrosine kinase 3 (NTRK3) has pleiotropic functions: it acts not only as an oncogene in breast and gastric cancers but also as a dependence receptor in tumor suppressor genes in colon cancer and neuroblastomas. However, the role of NTRK3 in upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) is not well documented. This study investigated the association between NTRK3 expression and outcomes in UTUC patients and validated the results in tests on UTUC cell lines. A total of 118 UTUC cancer tissue samples were examined to evaluate the expression of NTRK3. Survival curves were generated using Kaplan-Meier estimates, and Cox regression models were used for investigating survival outcomes. Higher NTRK3 expression was correlated with worse progression-free survival, cancer-specific survival, and overall survival. Moreover, the results of an Ingenuity Pathway Analysis suggested that NTRK3 may interact with the PI3K-AKT-mTOR signaling pathway to promote cancer. NTRK3 downregulation in BFTC909 cells through shRNA reduced cellular migration, invasion, and activity in the AKT-mTOR pathway. Furthermore, the overexpression of NTRK3 in UM-UC-14 cells promoted AKT-mTOR pathway activity, cellular migration, and cell invasion. From these observations, we concluded that NTRK3 may contribute to aggressive behaviors in UTUC by facilitating cell migration and invasion through its interaction with the AKT-mTOR pathway and the expression of NTRK3 is a potential predictor of clinical outcomes in cases of UTUC.

Causes of death and associated factors with death after liver transplantation: a nationwide database study

BACKGROUND/AIMS

This study investigated overall, 1-year, and 5-year mortality rate, the causes of death, and associated factors with death in liver transplantation recipients.

METHODS

A total of 11,590 liver transplant recipients identified from National Health Insurance Service database between 2006 and 2017 were included. Factors associated with all-cause of death were analyzed by Cox proportional regression models. Cumulative mortality rate according to the underlying indication was estimated by Kaplan-Meier method.

RESULTS

The 12-year survival rate for all liver transplant recipients was 68%. In the overall, 1-year, and 5-year mortality of liver transplant recipients, hepatic death was the highest contributing risk, accounting for >65% of the causes of death. Deaths from cirrhosis and liver failure accounted for a high proportion of deaths within 1 year after transplantation, and deaths from malignant tumors such as hepatocellular carcinoma were high among late-stage deaths.

DISCUSSION

Although the most common cause of death from liver transplantation is due to primary disease, there was a difference in the pattern of major causes of death according to the period from transplantation to death. If appropriate medical intervention is performed at each period after transplantation, the survival rate can be improved.

Characterization of de novo malignancy after orthotopic heart transplantation: single-centre outcomes over 20 years

OBJECTIVES

Malignancy is the leading cause of late mortality after orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT), and the burden of post-transplantation cancer is expected to rise in proportion to increased case volume following the 2018 heart allocation score change. In this report, we evaluated factors associated with de novo malignancy after OHT with a focus on skin and solid organ cancers.

METHODS

Patients who underwent OHT at our institution between 1999 and 2018 were retrospectively reviewed (n = 488). Terminal outcomes of death and development of skin and/or solid organ malignancy were assessed as competing risks. Fine-Gray subdistribution hazards regression was used to evaluate the association between perioperative patient and donor characteristics and late-term malignancy outcomes.

RESULTS

By 1, 5 and 10 years, an estimated 2%, 17% and 27% of patients developed skin malignancy, while 1%, 5% and 12% of patients developed solid organ malignancy. On multivariable Fine-Gray regression, age [1.05 (1.03-1.08); P < 0.001], government payer insurance [1.77 (1.20-2.59); P = 0.006], family history of malignancy [1.66 (1.15-2.38); P = 0.007] and metformin use [1.73 (1.15-2.59); P = 0.008] were associated with increased risk of melanoma and basal or squamous cell carcinoma. Age [1.08 (1.04-1.12); P < 0.001] and family history of malignancy [2.55 (1.43-4.56); P = 0.002] were associated with an increased risk of solid organ cancer, most commonly prostate and lung cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

Vigilant cancer and immunosuppression surveillance is warranted in OHT recipients at late-term follow-up. The cumulative incidence of skin and solid organ malignancies increases temporally after transplantation, and key risk factors for the development of post-OHT malignancy warrant identification and routine monitoring.

Pancreatic cancer among solid organ transplant recipients in the United States

INTRODUCTION

Pancreatic cancer (PC) in solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients is not well studied. Some PC cases may be incidentally detected during hepatobiliary imaging.

METHODS

We evaluated PC among 374,106 SOT recipients during 1995-2017 in the United States using linked data from the national transplant registry and multiple state/regional cancer registries. Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) were used to compare PC risk in recipients to the general population. We used multivariate Poisson regression to identify independent risk factors for PC. We assessed survival after PC diagnosis using Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank tests.

RESULTS

SOT recipients had elevated incidence for PC compared with the general population (SIR 1.40, 95% CI 1.29-1.52), and this increase was strongest in liver recipients (1.65, 1.41-1.92). Among all recipients, PC incidence was especially increased for cases arising in the head of the pancreas (SIR 1.50, 95% CI 1.34-1.68) and for cases diagnosed at localized stage (1.85, 1.37-2.44). Among SOT recipients, factors independently associated with increased incidence were consistent with those in general population including male sex, older age, non-O blood type, and history of diabetes. Additionally, compared to other organ recipients, liver transplant recipients had higher PC incidence (adjusted incidence rate ratio 1.28; 95% CI 1.06-1.54). Overall survival after PC diagnosis was poor (median 4 months) and similar between liver and other organ transplant recipients (p = 0.08).

CONCLUSIONS

PC incidence is elevated among SOT recipients, and more commonly diagnosed in liver transplant recipients perhaps related to incidental detection. However, survival is poor even in liver recipients, arguing against routine PC screening.

Whole-exome sequencing identified mutational profiles of urothelial carcinoma post kidney transplantation

Kidney transplantation is a lifesaving option for patients with end-stage kidney disease. In Taiwan, urothelial carcinoma (UC) is the most common de novo cancer after kidney transplantation (KT). UC has a greater degree of molecular heterogeneity than do other solid tumors. Few studies have explored genomic alterations in UC after KT. We performed whole-exome sequencing to compare the genetic alterations in UC developed after kidney transplantation (UCKT) and in UC in patients on hemodialysis (UCHD). After mapping and variant calling, 18,733 and 11,093 variants were identified in patients with UCKT and UCHD, respectively. We excluded known single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and retained genes that were annotated in the Catalogue of Somatic Mutations in Cancer (COSMIC), in the Integrative Onco Genomic cancer mutations browser (IntOGen), and in the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database of genes associated with bladder cancer. A total of 14 UCKT-specific genes with SNPs identified in more than two patients were included in further analyses. The single-base substitution (SBS) profile and signatures showed a relative high T > A pattern compared to COMSIC UC mutations. Ingenuity pathway analysis was used to explore the connections among these genes. GNAQ, IKZF1, and NTRK3 were identified as potentially involved in the signaling network of UCKT. The genetic analysis of posttransplant malignancies may elucidate a fundamental aspect of the molecular pathogenesis of UCKT.

The Spectrum of Malignant Neoplasms among Liver Transplant Recipients: Sociodemographic Factors, Mortality, and Hospital Burden

Objective: To determine the nationwide prevalence of malignant neoplasms (excluding hepatocellular carcinoma-HCC) in hospitalized liver transplant recipients and to study the hospital utilization, and mortality to the incidence of malignancies. To the best of our knowledge, few epidemiological studies addressed outcomes in post-liver transplant patients, such as the annual number of hospitalizations, mortality, patient characteristics regarding malignancies. Methods: NIS database was queried between 2016 and 2018 to retrieve records of patients admitted with a principal or secondary diagnosis of liver transplant following the International Classification of Diseases, tenth Revision (ICD-10). The population was divided into case and control groups according to the presence and absence of malignant neoplasm (MN) except for HCC. We also compared the incidence of MN in LTX patients and non-LTX matched cohort. Results: A total of 7.28% admissions were associated with malignant neoplasms (except HCC) in LTX patients. Lymphomas, respiratory, gastrointestinal (excluding HCC), leukemia, and head/neck were commonest cancers with estimated admission rates of 0.97%, 0.90%, 0.80%, 0.53%, and 0.49%, respectively. Lung cancer was the most frequent malignant neoplasm among White and Black racial/ethnic groups (15.78% and 14.8%), whereas lymphoma was pervasive among Hispanics (20.3%). Lung cancer had the highest in-hospital mortality (10.55%), followed by the cancer of the nervous system (9.09%). The LTX and non-LTX cohort comparison showed that LTX patients are at increased risk of head and neck cancers, skin cancers, lymphomas, tumors, and Myelodysplastic syndrome. According to a multivariate analysis, a statistically significant association existed between malignant neoplasms in LTX patients and the following factors: increasing age (P < .001), higher mortality (P < .001), females with 29% lesser odds than males (P < .001), Black race and Hispanic ethnicity with 20% and 26% lesser odds as compared to White (P < .05). Clinical factors included smoking, Alcoholic cirrhosis, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C, were statistically significant risk factors of post-liver transplantation malignancies. Conclusions: Malignancies were frequent among elderly patients and predominantly in males. Lymphoproliferative diseases were the most prevalent malignancy types, followed by respiratory/lung cancer- which showed the highest mortality risk of all cancers. LTX patients are at increased risk of head and neck cancers, skin cancers, lymphoma, tumors, and Myelodysplastic syndrome compared to non-LTX patients.

De Novo Malignancy After Liver Transplantation: Risk Assessment, Prevention, and Management-Guidelines From the ILTS-SETH Consensus Conference

De novo malignancies (DNMs) following liver transplantation (LT) have been reported as 1 of the major causes of late mortality, being the most common cause of death in the second decade after LT. The overall incidence of DNMs is reported to be in the range of 3.1% to 14.4%, and the incidence is 2- to 3-fold higher in transplant recipients than in age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Long-term immunosuppressive therapy, which is the key in maintaining host tolerance and achieving good long-term outcomes, is known to contribute to a higher risk of DNMs. However, the incidence and type of DNM also depends on different risk factors, including patient demographics, cause of the underlying chronic liver disease, behavior (smoking and alcohol abuse), and pre-existing premalignant conditions. The estimated standardized incidence ratio for different DNMs is also variable. The International Liver Transplantation Society-Spanish Society of Liver Transplantation Consensus Conference working group on DNM has summarized and discussed the current available literature on epidemiology, risk factors, management, and survival after DNMs. Recommendations for screening and surveillance for specific tumors, as well as immunosuppression and cancer-specific management in patients with DNM, are summarized.

Review of Standardized Incidence Ratios (SIR) of non-lymphoid de novo malignancies after liver transplantation: Structured analysis of global differences

INTRODUCTION

De Novo malignancy after liver transplantation (LTx) is the second most common cause of death in adult LTx recipients. The current report identifies differences in Standardized Incidence Ratios (SIR) for various non-lymphoid de novo malignancies by comparing and analyzing post LTx SIR for non-lymphoid de novo malignancies.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A thorough search of PubMed and Web of Science databases was conducted; 25 publications describing de novo malignancies post-LTx with SIR were identified.

RESULTS

Overall SIR varied from 1.4 to 11.6 (median 2.4). Oropharyngeal/larynx (OPL), lung, colo-rectal, and kidney malignancies were more prevalent with higher SIR (median = 4.4, 1.9, 2.67, 2.5, respectively). Breast and prostate malignancies were also more prevalent with lower SIR (median = 0.9, 1.0, respectively). Pancreatic, central nervous system (CNS), melanoma, rare cancers and Kaposi's sarcoma were less prevalent (except in Italy and Sweden) but had much higher SIR (median = 2.6, 2.4, 2.02, 22.5 and 53.6, respectively). The overall higher SIR values are related to the age of the recipient, length of follow-up, the grouping of different organ systems, inclusion or exclusion of epidermal non-malacotic skin cancers, lymphoid malignancy, and occurrence of rare malignancies including Kaposi's sarcoma.

CONCLUSION

OPL, lung, gastrointestinal, kidney, and bladder malignancies were more prevalent with higher SIR. Breast and prostate cancers were more prevalent with lower SIR. Pancreatic, CNS, melanoma, rare cancers and Kaposi's sarcoma were less prevalent with higher SIR. Age of the recipients, length of follow-up, and rare cancer types influence overall SIR values with some global differences.

Progression of the atypical fibroxanthoma to pleomorphic dermal sarcoma in a heart transplant patient

An 82-year-old man presented with a right scalp lesion which had been increasing in size. The patient's medical history was significant for a heart transplant 25 years before, and he was on chronic immunosuppression. Biopsy of the lesion showed atypical fibroxanthoma. The patient underwent an excision of the lesion with split thickness skin graft. Pathology showed fibroxanthoma with negative margins. Over the next 9 months, the patient developed new lesions, which were also excised to negative margins. However, with each new lesion, the histology demonstrated increasing dysplasia and ultimately pleomorphic sarcoma. The patient had a metastatic workup with CT of the chest, which was negative, and he underwent a radical scalpectomy, split thickness skin graft placement and adjuvant radiation therapy. The patient has not developed any new scalp lesions and no evidence of metastasis.

High Incidence and Early Onset of Urinary Tract Cancers in Patients with BK Polyomavirus Associated Nephropathy

Over-immunosuppressed kidney transplant recipients are susceptible to malignancies and BK polyomavirus (BKPyV)-associated nephropathy (BKPyVAN). This study aimed to verify the association between BKPyV infection and urinary tract cancers (UTC). A total of 244 kidney transplant recipients were enrolled at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital from June 2000 to February 2020. Biopsy-proven BKPyVAN patients (n = 17) had worse kidney function (eGFR: 26 ± 13.7 vs. 47.8 ± 31.0 mL/min/1.73 m²). The 5-year allograft survival rates for patients with and without BKPyVAN were 67% and 93%, respectively (p = 0.0002), while the 10-year patient survival was not different between the two groups. BKPyVAN patients had a significantly higher incidence of UTC compared to the non-BKPyVAN group (29.4% vs. 6.6%). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the UTC-free survival rate was significantly lower in BKPyVAN patients, and the onset of UTC was significantly shorter in BKPyVAN patients (53.4 vs. 108.9 months). The multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that age (RR = 1.062) and BKVAN (RR = 6.459) were the most significant risk factors for the development of UTC. Our study demonstrates that BKPyVAN patients have greater allograft losses, higher incidence, a lower cancer-free survival rate, and an earlier onset with a higher relative risk of developing UTC compared to non-BKPyVAN patients.

Timing of mTORI usage and outcomes in kidney transplant recipients

The introduction of mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors (mTORi) as immunosuppressive agents has changed the landscape of calcineurin inhibitor-based immunosuppressive regimens. However, the timing of mTORi conversion and its associated outcomes in kidney transplantation have conflicting results. This study investigated the effect of early or late mTORi post-transplant initiation on major transplant outcomes, including post-transplant malignancy, in kidney transplant recipients in our center. We enrolled 201 kidney transplant recipients with surviving function grafts of >3 months between 1983 and 2016. Patients were divided into three groups: early mTORi (initiated within 6 months of kidney transplantation), late mTORi, (mTORi initiation >6 months after kidney transplantation) and no mTORi. The mean creatinine at conversion was 1.46 ± 0.48 mg/dL and 1.30 ± 0.53 mg/dL for the early and late mTORi groups, respectively. During the study period, 10.5% of mTORi users and 19.2% of mTORi nonusers developed malignancy, mainly urothelial carcinoma. After adjustment for confounding factors, mTORi users were found to have a lower incidence of post-transplant malignancy than did nonusers (adjusted OR: 0.28, P = 0.04). No significant difference was observed between early and late mTORi users. Our results verified the potential advantages of mTORi usage in reducing cancer incidence after kidney transplantation. However, no significant result was found related to the timing of mTORi introduction. Future studies should include a longer observation period with a larger cohort.

Cancer Risks in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients: Results from a Comprehensive Analysis of 72 Cohort Studies

Understanding the cancer risks in different transplant recipients helps early detection, evaluation, and treatment of post-transplant malignancies. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis to determine the cancer risks at multiple sites for solid organ transplant recipients and their associations with tumor mutation burden (TMB), which reflects the immunogenicity. A comprehensive search of PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, Medline, and Cochrane Library was conducted. Random effects models were used to calculate the standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) versus the general population and determine the risks of different cancers. Linear regression (LR) was used to analyze the association between the SIRs and TMBs. Finally, seventy-two articles met our criteria, involving 2,105,122 solid organ transplant recipients. Compared with the general population, solid organ transplant recipients displayed a 2.68-fold cancer risk (SIR 2.68; 2.48–2.89; P <.001), renal transplant recipients displayed a 2.56-fold cancer risk (SIR 2.56; 2.31–2.84; P <.001), liver transplant recipients displayed a 2.45-fold cancer risk (SIR 2.45; 2.22–2.70; P <.001), heart and/or lung transplant recipients displayed a 3.72-fold cancer risk (SIR 3.72; 3.04–4.54; P <.001). The correlation coefficients between SIRs and TMBs were 0.68, 0.64, 0.59, 0.79 in solid organ recipients, renal recipients, liver recipients, heart and/or lung recipients, respectively. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that solid organ transplant recipients displayed a higher risk of some site-specific cancers, providing individualized guidance for clinicians to early detect, evaluate, and treat cancer among solid organ transplantation recipients. In addition, the increased cancer risk of solid organ transplant recipients is associated with TMB, suggesting that iatrogenic immunosuppression may contribute to the increased cancer risk in transplant recipients. (PROSPERO ID CRD42020160409).

Cancer risk in heart or lung transplant recipients: A comprehensive analysis of 21 prospective cohorts

We performed a meta-analysis to determine cancer risks at multiple sites and their associations with tumor mutation burden (TMB), an index for immunogenicity, in heart or lung transplant recipients. A comprehensive search of PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, and Medline was conducted. Random effects models were used to calculate standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) versus the general population and to determine the risks of different cancers. Weighted linear regression (WLR) was used to analyze the associations between the SIRs and TMBs. (PROSPERO CRD42020159599). Data from 21 studies including 116,438 transplant recipients (51,173 heart transplant recipients and 65,265 lung transplant recipients) with a total follow-up of 601,330.7 person-years were analyzed. Compared with the general population, heart transplant recipients displayed a 3.13-fold higher cancer risk [SIR: 3.13; 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.38-4.13; p < 0.001]; lung transplant recipients displayed a 4.28-fold higher cancer risk [SIR: 4.28; 95% CI: 3.18-5.77; p < 0.001]. The correlation coefficients were 0.54 (p = 0.049) and 0.79 (p < 0.001) in heart and lung transplant recipients, respectively, indicating that 29% and 63% of the differences in the SIRs for cancer types might be explained by the TMBs. Our study demonstrated that both heart and lung transplant recipients displayed a higher risk of certain site-specific cancers. These findings can provide individualized guidance for clinicians for detection of cancer among heart or lung transplantation recipients. In addition, we provided evidence that increased risks of post-transplant cancers can be attributed to immunosuppression.

Relative and absolute cancer risks among Nordic kidney transplant recipients-a population-based study

Kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) have an increased cancer risk compared to the general population, but absolute risks that better reflect the clinical impact of cancer are seldom estimated. All KTRs in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Finland, with a first transplantation between 1995 and 2011, were identified through national registries. Post‐transplantation cancer occurrence was assessed through linkage with cancer registries. We estimated standardized incidence ratios (SIR), absolute excess risks (AER), and cumulative incidence of cancer in the presence of competing risks. Overall, 12 984 KTRs developed 2215 cancers. The incidence rate of cancer overall was threefold increased (SIR 3.3, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.2–3.4). The AER of any cancer was 1560 cases (95% CI: 1468–1656) per 100 000 person‐years. The highest AERs were observed for nonmelanoma skin cancer (838, 95% CI: 778–901), non‐Hodgkin lymphoma (145, 95% CI: 119–174), lung cancer (126, 95% CI: 98.2–149), and kidney cancer (122, 95% CI: 98.0–149). The five‐ and ten‐year cumulative incidence of any cancer was 8.1% (95% CI: 7.6–8.6%) and 16.8% (95% CI: 16.0–17.6%), respectively. Excess cancer risks were observed among Nordic KTRs for a wide range of cancers. Overall, 1 in 6 patients developed cancer within ten years, supporting extensive post‐transplantation cancer vigilance.

De novo cancer incidence after kidney and liver transplantation: Results from a nationwide population based data

The cancer risk among solid organ transplantation recipients in East-Asia has been insufficiently studied. This study estimated de novo cancer incidence in kidney and liver recipients 2008-2015, compared with the general population in Korea using nationwide data. This is a retrospective cohort study using nationwide health insurance claims data. The study population was comprised of cancer-free 10,085 kidney recipients and 3,822 liver recipients. Standardized incidence ratio (SIR) of cancer using indirect standardization was calculated. Compared with the general population, the cancer risk increased by 3.19-fold in male and 2.56-fold in female kidney recipients. By cancer type, a notably increased SIR was observed for Kaposi sarcoma, renal cancer, skin cancer, and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in male and for bladder cancer, renal cancer, and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in female kidney recipients. In liver recipients, the SIR of all cancers was 3.43 in males and 2.30 in females. In male liver recipients, the SIRs for Kaposi sarcoma, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, myeloid leukemia, and skin cancer and in female recipients those for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and liver cancer were prominent. A greatly higher SIRs for overall cancer and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in kidney and liver recipients aged 0-19 were observed, compared with recipients in other age group. The incidence of de novo cancer in kidney and liver recipients was higher than the general population and common types were different. Strategies of cancer prevention and screening after kidney and liver transplantation should be developed in response to the incidence of common types of de novo cancers.

Advanced native-kidney carcinoma in a heart- and kidney-transplanted patient: a case report

Malignancies are one of the leading causes of death in long-term surviving transplant recipients. Dose and prolonged durations of immunosuppressive regimens are considered the main cause, through a direct oncogenic effect and a renowned interaction on physiological anti-viral and anti-oncogenic immune response. Specific neoplasms are known to occur with different frequencies according to the transplanted organ. As a consequence, imaging screenings have been implemented in many graft surveillance programs, although a wide consensus on the timing and modality has not been concurred. There are little data available in the literature regarding incidence of de-novo malignancies in multi-organ recipients. We report the case of a 66-year-old man who developed a renal mass 10 years after a combined heart-kidney transplant.