Cancer in patients on chronic dialysis in Korea

Chapter 1: Evaluation of kidney function in patients undergoing anticancer drug therapy, from clinical practice guidelines for the management of kidney injury during anticancer drug therapy 2022

The prevalence of CKD may be higher in patients with cancer than in those without due to the addition of cancer-specific risk factors to those already present for CKD. In this review, we describe the evaluation of kidney function in patients undergoing anticancer drug therapy. When anticancer drug therapy is administered, kidney function is evaluated to (1) set the dose of renally excretable drugs, (2) detect kidney disease associated with the cancer and its treatment, and (3) obtain baseline values for long-term monitoring. Owing to some requirements for use in clinical practice, a GFR estimation method such as the Cockcroft-Gault, MDRD, CKD-EPI, and the Japanese Society of Nephrology's GFR estimation formula has been developed that is simple, inexpensive, and provides rapid results. However, an important clinical question is whether they can be used as a method of GFR evaluation in patients with cancer. When designing a drug dosing regimen in consideration of kidney function, it is important to make a comprehensive judgment, recognizing that there are limitations regardless of which estimation formula is used or if GFR is directly measured. Although CTCAEs are commonly used as criteria for evaluating kidney disease-related adverse events that occur during anticancer drug therapy, a specialized approach using KDIGO criteria or other criteria is required when nephrologists intervene in treatment. Each drug is associated with the different disorders related to the kidney. And various risk factors for kidney disease associated with each anticancer drug therapy.

Clinical outcomes between elderly ESKD patients under peritoneal dialysis and hemodialysis: a national cohort study

With ageing populations, new elderly end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) cases rise. Unlike younger patients, elderly ESKD patients are less likely to undergo kidney transplant, and therefore the decision of receiving peritoneal dialysis (PD) and hemodialysis (HD) is more crucial. A total of 36,852 patients, aged more than 65, who were newly diagnosed with ESKD and initiated renal replacement therapy between 2013 and 2019 were identified. These patients were categorized into two groups: the PD group and the HD group according to their long-term renal replacement treatment. After propensity score matching, the PD group (n = 1628) displayed a lower incidence of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) (10.09% vs. 13.03%, hazard ratio (HR): 0.74, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.66-0.83), malignancy (1.23% vs. 2.14%, HR: 0.55, 95% CI: 0.40-0.76), and MACCE-associated mortality (1.35% vs. 2.25%, HR: 0.62, 95% CI: 0.46-0.84) compared to the HD group (n = 6512). However, the PD group demonstrated a higher rate of infection (34.09% vs. 24.14%, HR: 1.28, 95% CI: 1.20-1.37). The risks of all-cause mortality and infection-associated mortality were not different. This study may provide valuable clinical information to assist elderly ESKD patients to choose HD or PD as their renal replacement therapy.

Meta-analysis of cancer risk among end stage renal disease undergoing maintenance dialysis

Currently, there is no consensus on whether maintenance dialysis increases cancer risk in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Therefore, this study was to systematically evaluate the risk of cancer among ESRD patients undergoing maintenance dialysis. Related studies on the impact of maintenance dialysis on cancer risk were retrieved from PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and other databases from their respective inceptions to 19 February 2021. ESRD patients receiving maintenance dialysis were classified into cancer including non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) and cancer excluding NMSC. Standardized incidence ratio (SIR) with its 95% confidence interval (95% CI) was calculated to assess cancer risk. Fourteen studies were included in the meta-analysis. The risk of cancer in patients undergoing maintenance dialysis (with or without NMSC) was significantly higher than controls both in cancer including NMSC (SIR = 1.38, 95% CI: 1.27-1.49, P < 0.001) and cancer excluding NMSC (SIR = 1.34, 95% CI: 1.23-1.47, P < 0.001). Subgroup results identified the higher risk of cancer incidence in both men and women receiving maintenance dialysis. Meanwhile, elevated excess risks were observed among patients with younger age and shorter follow-up time (P < 0.001). Meanwhile, the combined SIR of bladder, cervix, colorectum, kidney, liver, thyroid, tongue, and other cancers were all increased (P < 0.05). ESRD patients undergoing dialysis has higher risk of cancer.

Epidemiological characteristics of cancers in patients with end-stage kidney disease: a Korean nationwide study

Patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) have been reported to have an increased risk of cancer. However, the epidemiological characteristics of cancer in ESKD patients remain unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the epidemiological characteristics of cancer in ESKD patients and the differences based on the renal replacement therapy provided. Data on ESKD patients were obtained from the South Korean nationwide cohort Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service database. This study included 58,831 eligible patients of the total 813,907 patients diagnosed with ESKD between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2017. Of the 58,831 ESKD patients, 3292 (5.6%) were newly diagnosed with cancer. The average duration between the diagnosis of ESKD and cancer was 3.3 ± 1.9 years (mean ± standard deviation), with no differences between hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, and kidney transplant groups. The most commonly observed cancer sites in ESKD patients were the colorectum, lung, and liver. The incidence of cancer increased progressively among patients undergoing kidney transplant, peritoneal dialysis, and hemodialysis in that order. Hemodialysis patients were found to have an increased risk of digestive tract cancer compared with kidney transplant patients (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.9; 95% confidence interval: 1.31-2.81; P < 0.001). The study findings may be a useful reference for cancer-screening guidelines.

Cancer incidence according to the National Health Information Database in Korean patients with end-stage renal disease receiving hemodialysis

BACKGROUND/AIMS

The aim of this study was to investigate incidence, survival, and risk factors of cancer in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients with hemodialysis using information from the National Health Information Database (NHID).

METHODS

Using the NHID, we identified ESRD patients who started maintenance hemodialysis between 2003 and 2005 in Korea. Patients were followed from initiation of hemodialysis to renal transplantation, death, or December 31, 2016, whichever came first. We calculated the incidence, survival, and risk factors of cancer.

RESULTS

Of the total 14,382 ESRD patients, 1,124 (7.82%; men:women, 728:396) were diagnosed with cancer during follow-up. The mean duration from the start of hemodialysis to new cancer identification was 64.40 ± 41.81 months. Significant risk factors for the development of new cancer were old age, male sex, and liver disease. Conversely, patients with diabetes showed low risk for new cancer. The colorectum (17.31%) was the most common primary site of cancer in men, followed by the liver (15.8%), stomach (14.29%), lung (13.6%), and kidney (10.3%). In women, the colorectum (14.65%) was also the most common primary site of cancer, followed by the breast (12.88%), thyroid (12.63%), stomach (10.86%), and lung (8.08%). According to the primary site of cancer, breast cancer showed the longest median survival duration (130.93 months), followed by thyroid, kidney, colorectum, bladder, stomach, liver, and lung cancer. On multivariate analyses, overall survival was affected by age and diabetes.

CONCLUSION

The cancer incidence of chronic hemodialysis patients was relatively high. Thus, careful monitoring and a specific cancer screening program are needed for chronic hemodialysis patients.

Differences between exhausted CD8+ T cells in hepatocellular carcinoma patients with and without uremia

The purpose of this study was to explore the differences between exhausted CD8⁺ T cells in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with and without uremia. We enrolled 45 uremic patients who were recently diagnosed with HCC into the HCC + uremia cohort and similar patients with HCC but without uremia into the HCC-only cohort. Lymphocytes were obtained from the two cohorts, and exhausted CD8⁺ T cells, comprising PD-1⁺CD8⁺, TIM-3⁺CD8⁺, and LAG-3⁺CD8⁺ T cells, were sorted and expanded in vitro. After expansion, the proportions of PD-1⁺CD8⁺, TIM-3⁺CD8⁺, and LAG-3⁺CD8⁺ T cells were significantly higher in the HCC-only cohort than in the HCC + uremia cohort. CD8⁺ T cells expressing PD-1, TIM-3, or LAG-3 showed increased tumor reactivity and release of interferon-γ in vitro; however, these cells demonstrated weaker anti-tumor activity in HCC + uremia patients than in HCC-only patients. Among the expanded lymphocytes, only the decreased proportion of PD-1⁺CD8⁺ T cells significantly correlated with the HCC + uremia cohort (odds ratio of 2.731, p = 0.009). We concluded that peripheral CD8⁺ T cells expressing PD-1, TIM-3, or LAG-3 from the HCC + uremia cohort were dysfunctional in vitro. Among these populations, PD-1⁺CD8⁺ T cells were most evident in HCC patients with uremia.

Outcomes of arteriovenous access among cancer patients requiring chronic haemodialysis

Background

There are limited data focusing specifically on the types of arteriovenous (AV) access used and outcomes of AV access among cancer patients as a consequence of cancer. We aimed to describe outcomes of AV access among cancer patients requiring chronic haemodialysis, and also to compare outcomes between patients with and without cancer.

Methods

In this single-centre, retrospective, observational cohort study, 84 patients diagnosed with cancer before AV access placement were included; we analysed outcomes of AV access among these patients and compared these outcomes with our previous results. The study endpoints were AV access patency and early failure, defined as AV access abandonment within 12 months after AV access placement.

Results

Various cancer types, stages, and treatments were identified in our analysis. Autologous arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) were used for 92.9% of this study population. Using our previous results for comparison, we found no significant difference in death-censored primary (P = 0.546) and secondary (P = 0.266) patency of AV access between patients with and without cancer; however, the rate of early AVF failure was statistically significantly higher among cancer patients (25.6% vs 13.9%; P = 0.008), and the most common cause of AVF failure was patient death. The rate of early failure was significantly higher among patients with advanced-stage cancer (59.1%) than among those with early-stage cancer (12.9%) (P <  0.001).

Conclusions

Although AV access patency rates were similar among patients with and without cancer in the death-censored analysis, cancer patients were more prone to early AVF failure, mainly due to cancer-associated deaths, and this consideration needs to be carefully balanced against individual patients’ life expectancies, according to cancer type and stage.

Increased cancer risk in patients undergoing dialysis: a population-based cohort study in North-Eastern Italy

BACKGROUND

In southern Europe, the risk of cancer in patients with end-stage kidney disease receiving dialysis has not been well quantified. The aim of this study was to assess the overall pattern of risk for de novo malignancies (DNMs) among dialysis patients in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region, north-eastern Italy.

METHODS

A population-based cohort study among 3407 dialysis patients was conducted through a record linkage between local healthcare databases and the cancer registry (1998-2013). Person-years (PYs) were calculated from 30 days after the date of first dialysis to the date of DNM diagnosis, kidney transplant, death, last follow-up or December 31, 2013, whichever came first. The risk of DNM, as compared to the general population, was estimated using standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

RESULTS

During 10,798 PYs, 357 DNMs were diagnosed in 330 dialysis patients. A higher than expected risk of 1.3-fold was found for all DNMs combined (95% CI: 1.15-1.43). The risk was particularly high in younger dialysis patients (SIR = 1.88, 95% CI: 1.42-2.45 for age 40-59 years), and it decreased with age. Moreover, significantly increased DNM risks emerged during the first 3 years since dialysis initiation, especially within the first year (SIR = 8.52, 95% CI: 6.89-10.41). Elevated excess risks were observed for kidney (SIR = 3.18; 95% CI: 2.06-4.69), skin non-melanoma (SIR = 1.81, 95% CI: 1.46-2.22), oral cavity (SIR = 2.42, 95% CI: 1.36-4.00), and Kaposi's sarcoma (SIR = 10.29, 95% CI: 1.25-37.16).

CONCLUSIONS

The elevated risk for DNM herein documented suggest the need to implement a targeted approach to cancer prevention and control in dialysis patients.

Pulmonary sarcoidosis as a cause of intermittent fever of unknown origin in a hemodialysis patient with renal cell carcinoma: A case report and literature review

Hemodialysis patients have weakened immune systems and can exhibit fever due to various causes. Herein, we describe the case of a 61-year-old hemodialysis patient who exhibited intermittent low-grade fever after a pacemaker had been implanted 2 months before due to sick sinus syndrome. She had a medical history of subcutaneous sarcoidosis and uveitis. Active pulmonary sarcoidosis was diagnosed based on elevated soluble interleukin-2 receptor, elevated lysozyme level, and gallium-67 scintigraphy uptake in hilar and mediastinal lymph nodes. She was also diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma via contrast computed tomography. However, because her C-reactive protein level remained normal, the possibility of neoplastic fever was considered low. After the initiation of prednisolone administration, her fever gradually disappeared. Her serum soluble interleukin-2 receptor and lysozyme level improved in parallel with the enlargement of the mediastinal lymph node and gallium-67 scintigraphy uptake.

Importance of Timed and Detailed Evaluation of Kidney Transplantation Candidates

Kidney transplant recipients are at increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity and malignant neoplasm, and meticulous evaluation of potential recipients is needed to minimize risks of complications after transplantation. The purpose of this study was to analyze the results of preoperative assessments and document the importance of timed and detailed examinations.

METHODS

Medical records of patients evaluated as kidney transplant candidates from January 2015 to September 2017 were retrospectively collected and analyzed.

RESULTS

Of the 216 patients evaluated during the study period, 135 (62.5%) were male, 112 (51.9%) had diabetes mellitus, 163 (75.5%) had hypertension, 31 (14.4%) had a cardiovascular event history, and 7 (3.2%) had previous history of malignant neoplasms. Mean (SD) patient age was 50.7 (10.8) years. All 216 recipient candidates underwent echocardiography. Mean (SD) ejection fraction was 57.8% (5.9%), and 48 candidates (22.2%) showed regional wall motional abnormality. Coronary angiography was performed on 81 candidates, and in 57 (70.4%) of these, coronary artery disease was detected. Malignant neoplasms were detected in 10 (4.6%) candidates. Kidney transplantation was performed on 55 candidates. One recipient died of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia at 15 months after kidney transplant, but there was no death-censored graft failure, newly detected malignant neoplasm, or cardiovascular event over a mean (SD) follow-up duration of 15.5 (8.6) months.

CONCLUSION

Evaluation of kidney transplant candidates resulted in diagnoses of malignant neoplasms in 4.6% of patients and coronary artery disease in 26.4% of patients. The results of this study demonstrate candidates for kidney transplant should undergo detailed preoperative evaluation.

Is there different risk of cancer among end-stage renal disease patients undergoing hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis?

Cancer is a global issue in recent decade. Despite this alarming increase in the incidence of cancer, to date, whether the risk of developing cancer differs among peritoneal dialysis (PD) and hemodialysis (HD) patients is still uncertain. In this retrospective cohort study, data were obtained from the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan, which provides coverage to almost 99% of the nation's population. After matching, a total of 4491 (or 3369) incident PD patients and 8982 (or 6738) incident HD patients between 2000 and 2009 were enrolled from the database. In addition, 22,455 (or 16,845) nondialysis patients were selected as a control group. The patients were monitored for the occurrence of cancer until 2010, and their data were analyzed using several different models. In general, the results showed that the risks of hepatocellular, kidney, bladder, extra kidney/bladder urinary tract, and thyroid cancers were higher in dialysis patients. We also compared the risk of cancer between two dialysis groups by using the HD patients as the reference group. The result showed that there is no significant different for each cancer risk between two dialysis groups. In conclusion, dialysis patients had a higher risk of certain types of cancer than those in the nonuremia group. However, there was no significant difference in the cancer risk between the two dialysis groups when compared directly.

Cancer in Korean patients with end-stage renal disease: A 7-year follow-up

BACKGROUND

The effectiveness of dialysis on the incidence of cancer in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) remains to be clarified. In this study, we evaluated the incidence rate and type of cancer among patients with ESRD, compared to the general population, through a prospective 7-year follow-up. We also calculated the cumulative incidence rate of cancer associated with ESRD, with stratification to control for the competing risk of death.

METHODS

This prospective observational cohort study was conducted using data from a nationwide study on patients with ESRD in Korea. A total of 5,235 patients, ≥18 years old, with ESRD were identified from the national registry as being treated by dialysis between August 2008 and December 2014. The standardized incidence ratio (SIR) and cumulative incidence rate of specific cancers were evaluated and compared to the general population.

RESULTS

A total of 5,235 participants were included. During the 7 year observation period, 116 (2.2%) participants had been diagnosed as cancer. The SIR of overall cancer was 0.94 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.72-1.19] and was comparable to the rate for the general population. Although the digestive organs were the most frequent site of a primary site cancer (N = 39, 33.6%), the SIR was highest for urinary tract cancer [4.7, 95% CI, 2.42-8.19]. The five year standardized cumulative incidence of cancer was higher for females than for males, and for non-diabetic compared to diabetic causes of ESRD. We estimated that the five year standardized cumulative incidence was highest [8.4, 95% CI, 5.07-13.75] in patients with ESRD, caused by glomerulonephritis.

CONCLUSION

A screening program should be necessary for urinary tract cancer in Korean patients with ESRD. Cancer screening programs for patients with ESRD in Korea should be emphasized on female patients and patients with non-diabetic ESRD.

Epidemiology of cancer in end-stage renal disease dialysis patients: a national cohort study in Taiwan

The incidence and mortality of site-specific cancers in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on maintenance dialysis have been rarely studied for Asian populations. We tapped Taiwan`s National Health Insurance Research Database to identify and recruit patients starting maintenance dialysis between 1999 and 2004. They were followed from initiation of dialysis until death, discontinuation of dialysis, or the end of 2008. We calculated the survival rate and mortality risk of dialysis patients with cancer. Of 40,833 dialysis patients, 2352 (5.8%) had been newly diagnosed with cancer. Being older, being male, and having chronic liver disease were factors associated with a higher risk for new cancer in ESRD dialysis patients. In men, liver cancer (20.63%) was the most frequent, followed by cancers of the bladder (16.88%) and kidney (11.61%). In women, bladder cancer (25.57%) was the most frequent, followed by cancers of the kidney (16.31%) and breast (11.20%). The 5-year survival rates for kidney and bladder cancer were higher than for other cancers; the survival rates for lung, stomach, and liver cancer were lower. In conclusion, the distribution of site-specific cancer was different between men and women in patients with ESRD on dialysis. More attention should be paid to teaching dialysis patients how to avoid the well-known cancer risks and carcinogens and individualized regular cancer screenings.

Death Does Matter--Cancer Risk in Patients With End-Stage Renal Disease: A Nationwide Population-Based Study With Competing Risk Analyses

Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) have a high mortality rate. We hypothesized that not accounting for death as a competing risk overestimates the event rate caused by ESRD. Thus, we examined the cancer risk for patients with ESRD (ESRD) after death as a competing risk event had been adjusted for. Patients with newly diagnosed ESRD (n = 64,299) between 1999 and 2007, together with age- and sex-matched controls without ESRD (ESRD) (n = 128,592) were enrolled (1:2). In a Cox proportional hazards model that included death as a competing risk, ESRD patients in Taiwan had a lower overall incidence (subdistribution hazard ratio [sdHR] = 1.29) of cancer than did ESRD patients in a Cox model that did not include death as a competing risk (HR = 1.70). After competing mortality had been adjusted for, ESRD patients ≥70 (sdHR = 0.82) and ESRD patients on long-term dialysis (> 5 follow-up years, sdHR = 0.62), had a lower risk for developing cancer than did ESRD patients. This finding supported our hypothesis that standard survival analyses overestimate the event rate, especially when the mortality rate is high. It also showed that ESRD patients, when they grow older, were far less likely to develop cancer and far more likely to die because of underlying illnesses that might also affect the risk of death because of ESRD.

Type 1 and type 2 diabetes and cancer mortality in the 2002-2009 cohort of 39,811 French dialyzed patients

End-stage renal disease is a chronic and progressive pathology associated with several comorbidities, particularly diabetes. Indeed, diabetes is the first cause of end-stage renal disease and, in France, 42% of incident patients had diabetes in 2012. In the general population, diabetes is associated with increased cancer risk. The aim of this study was to examine the association between risk of cancer death and diabetes in a large French cohort of patients with end-stage renal disease. Data on all patients with end-stage renal disease who initiated dialysis in France between 2002 and 2009 were extracted from the Renal Epidemiology Information Network registry. The risk of dying by cancer was studied using the Fine and Gray model to take into account the competing risk of death by other causes. We analyzed 39 811 patients with end-stage renal disease. Their mean age was 67.7±15 years, 39.4% had diabetes and 55.3% at least one cardiovascular disease. Compared with the non-diabetic group, patients with diabetes were older and had more cardiovascular and respiratory comorbidities when they started dialysis. Conversely, fewer diabetic patients had also a tumor at the beginning of the renal replacement therapy. Cancer was indicated as the cause of death for 6.7% of diabetic and 13.4% of non-diabetic patients. The Fine and Gray multivariate analyses indicated that diabetes (HR=0.72 95% CI: [0.68-0.95], p<0.001) and also female gender, peritoneal dialysis, cardio-vascular disease and kidney transplantation were associated with decreased risk of death by cancer. In this French cohort of patients with end-stage renal disease, diabetes was not associated with a significant increased risk of dying from cancer. Studies on the incidence of cancer in patients with ESRD are now needed to evaluate the potential association between diabetes and specific malignancies in this population.

Clinical and pathological outcomes of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in native kidneys of patients with end-stage renal disease: a long-term comparative retrospective study with RCC diagnosed in the general population

PURPOSE

Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) have an increased risk of developing renal cell carcinoma (RCC). This retrospective study compared clinical and pathological outcomes of RCC occurring in native kidneys of patients with ESRD (whether they underwent kidney transplantation or not) with those of renal tumors diagnosed in the general population.

METHODS

The study included a total of 533 patients with RCC. The ESRD cohort included 92 patients with RCC in native kidneys. Of these, 58 and 34 cases were identified before (pre-Tx group) and after kidney transplantation (post-Tx group), respectively. The control group was composed of 441 RCCs diagnosed in the general population. Variables were compared by chi-square and Student's t tests. Cancer-specific survival was assessed by Kaplan-Meier and Cox methods.

RESULTS

The ESRD groups had smaller (P = 0.001), lower-grade, and lower-stage tumors than the non-ESRD group (P = 0.001). The papillary RCC rate was higher in the ESRD groups (P = 0.01). Ten-year cancer-specific survivals were 94.5, 87.9, and 74.6 % in pre-Tx, post-Tx, and non-ESRD patients, respectively (P = 0.003). Mean follow-up was 90.2 months. At multivariate analysis, tumor size (HR = 1.10), pathological stage (HR = 1.46), presence of nodal (HR = 2.22) and visceral metastases (HR = 3.49), and Fuhrman grade (HR = 1.48) were independent adverse prognostic factors for cancer-specific survival.

CONCLUSIONS

Native kidney RCCs arising in ESRD patients are lower stage and lower grade as compared to RCCs diagnosed in the general population, and these tumors exhibit favorable clinical and outcome features.

Cancer Among End-Stage Renal Disease Patients on Dialysis

Introduction: The aim of this study is to investigate the risk of cancer among end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients on dialysis in Singapore. Materials and Methods: The study looks at a retrospective cohort of 5505 ESRD patients who had received dialysis between 1998 and 2007. The cancer risk of these patients would be compared against the risk of the general population. Results: During a median follow-up time of 3.9 years, 267 (4.9%) dialysis patients developed cancer. The risk of cancer (excluding non-melanoma skin cancer) is 1.66 times higher in dialysis patients than the general population, and is highest at age less than 35 years old and at first year after dialysis. Cancer risk was found to be significantly higher among Chinese dialysis patients, followed by Malays, compared to the general population. The 3 sites with highest elevated cancer risks among dialysis patients compared to the general population are kidney, tongue and multiple myeloma. Conclusion: The finding of elevated cancer risk among younger dialysis patients is similar to other international studies. High cancer risks among specific cancer sites were also consistent with other studies. In view of the lack of screening procedures for these cancers and shortened expected survival of ESRD patients, cancer screening of ESRD patients should be individualised and based on a reasonable life expectancy and transplant candidacy, keeping in mind the competing risk of cardiovascular mortality. Key words: Chronic dialysis, Chronic kidney disease, Malignant neoplasms

Management of anticancer treatment in patients under chronic dialysis: results of the multicentric CANDY (CANcer and DialYsis) study

BACKGROUND

One million people worldwide benefit from chronic dialysis, with an increased rate in Western countries of 5% yearly. Owing to increased incidence of cancer in dialyzed patients, the management of these patients is challenging for oncologists/nephrologists.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The CANcer and DialYsis (CANDY) retrospective multicenter study included patients under chronic dialysis who subsequently had a cancer (T0). Patients were followed up for 2 years after T0. Prescriptions of anticancer drugs were studied with regard to their renal dosage adjustment/dialysability.

RESULTS

A total of 178 patients from 12 institutions were included. The mean time between initiation of dialysis and T0 was 30.8 months. Fifty patients had received anticancer drug treatment. Among them, 72% and 82% received at least one drug needing dosage and one drug to be administered after dialysis sessions, respectively. Chemotherapy was omitted or prematurely stopped in many cases where systemic treatment was indicated or was often not adequately prescribed.

CONCLUSIONS

Survival in dialysis patients with incident cancer was poor. It is crucial to consider anticancer drug treatment in these patients as for non-dialysis patients and to use current available specific drug management recommendations in order to (i) adjust the dose and (ii) avoid premature elimination of the drug during dialysis sessions.

Malignant tumors in patients with end stage renal failure undergoing renal replacement therapy

In 1975 Matas and co-workers were the first in the world literature to show an increased risk of malignant tumor occurrence in the group of hemodialyzed patients and kidney transplant recipients. The report is an analysis of world literature from the last 35 years in reference to epidemiology as well as the profile of screening tests and diagnostic methods related to malignant tumors in the population with end stage renal disease, especially hemodialyzed patients.

Sex differences in the development of malignancies among end-stage renal disease patients: a nationwide population-based follow-up study in Taiwan

Increasing evidence indicates that end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is associated with the morbidity of cancer. However, whether different dialysis modality and sex effect modify the cancer risks in ESRD patients remains unclear. A total of 3,570 newly diagnosed ESRD patients and 14,280 controls matched for age, sex, index month, and index year were recruited from the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan. The ESRD status was ascertained from the registry of catastrophic illness patients. The incidence of cancer was identified through cross-referencing with the National Cancer Registry System. The Cox proportional hazards model and the Kaplan–Meier method were used for analyses. A similar twofold increase in cancer risk was observed among ESRD patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD) or peritoneal dialysis (PD) after adjusting for other potential risk factors. Patients with the highest cancer risk, approximately fourfold increased risk, were those received renal transplants. Urothelial carcinoma (UC) had the highest incidence in HD and PD patients. However, renal cell carcinoma (RCC) had the highest incidence in the renal transplantation (RT) group. In addition, female patients undergoing RT or PD had a higher incidence of RCC and UC, respectively. Male patients under HD had both higher incidence of RCC and UC. In conclusion, different dialysis modality could modify the cancer risks in ESRD patients. We also found sex effect on genitourinary malignancy when they are under different dialysis modality.

[Risk of cancer in patients following chronic dialysis and kidney graft]

BACKGROUND

A high prevalence of renal insufficiency has been observed in cancer patients as well as a high incidence of de novo cancer in dialysis or renal transplant patients.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We aimed to determine the incidence of cancer in patients under dialysis and in kidney transplant recipients through a search of the literature.

RESULTS

Under chronic dialysis, the risk of cancer increases from 1.1 to 1.8 in comparison to the general population. These risks reach 2.5 to 3.9 in renal transplant patients, but depend on the type of tumor.

CONCLUSION

In transplant recipients, the risk of cancer induced by immunosuppressive therapy requires a specific follow-up and a screening for any medical history of cancer in the donor and the recipient.

End stage and chronic kidney disease: associations with renal cancer

There is a well known association between end stage renal disease and the development of kidney cancer in the native kidney of patients requiring renal replacement therapy. There is now emerging evidence that lesser degrees of renal insufficiency (chronic kidney disease, CKD) are also associated with an increased likelihood of cancer in general and kidney cancer in particular. Nephropathological changes are commonly observed in the non-tumor bearing portions of kidney resected at the time of partial and radical nephrectomy (RN). In addition, patients with renal cancer are more likely to have CKD at the time of diagnosis and treatment than the general population. The exact mechanism by which renal insufficiency transforms normal kidney cells into tumor cells is not known. Possible mechanisms include uremic immune inhibition or increased exposure to circulating toxins not adequately cleared by the kidneys. Surgeons managing kidney tumors must have an increased awareness of their patient's renal functional status as they plan their resection. Kidney sparing approaches, including partial nephrectomy (PN) or active surveillance in older and morbidly ill patients, can prevent CKD or delay the further decline in renal function which is well documented with RN. Despite emerging evidence that PN provides equivalent local tumor control to RN while at the same time preventing CKD, this operation remains under utilized in the United States and abroad. Increased awareness of the bi directional relationship between kidney function and kidney cancer is essential in the contemporary management of kidney cancer.

Increased risk of cancer in chronic dialysis patients: a population-based cohort study in Taiwan

BACKGROUND

An increased incidence of cancer in chronic dialysis patients has not been confirmed in the Chinese population. The aim of this population-based study was to examine the risk of various types of cancers in chronic dialysis patients in Taiwan.

METHODS

Data of 92 348 chronic dialysis patients extracted from the National Health Institutes Research Database during 1997-2008 were analyzed. Patients newly diagnosed with end-stage renal disease, free of cancer and receiving dialysis for >3 months were eligible for inclusion in the study.

RESULTS

After a mean follow-up of 4.4 years, a new cancer was diagnosed in 4328 chronic dialysis patients. The standardized incidence ratio (SIR) of chronic dialysis patients was 1.4 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.3-1.4] and annual incidence of cancer was 1.1%. A trend of an increased SIR of cancer was observed in young patients and within the first year of dialysis. Bladder cancer carried the highest SIR (SIR: 8.2, 95% CI: 6.7-9.9) and had the highest frequency (21.2%). Importantly, the frequency (15.3%) of liver cancer was the second highest and the SIR (SIR: 1.4, 95% CI: 1.2-1.5) of liver cancer in chronic dialysis patients was higher than that of their healthy counterparts. Unexpectedly, chronic dialysis patients had a significantly reduced risk of developing lung cancer.

CONCLUSION

Increased risk of cancer in chronic dialysis patients is confirmed in the Taiwanese population and it is necessary to develop different strategies for cancer screening in chronic dialysis patients among different ethnicities.