Cancer risk in renal transplant recipients appeared similar in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and non-SLE subjects, aside from melanoma, a recent study found. Using the United States Renal Data System from 2001 to 2009, researchers analyzed data from 143,652 renal transplant recipients, with and without SLE, who contributed 585,420 patient-years of follow-up. They found:

• 10,163 cancers occurred at least 3 months after renal transplant.

• Overall, cancer risk was increased in both SLE and non-SLE groups compared with the US general population, SIR 3.5 and SIR 3.7, respectively.

• Lip, oropharyngeal, Kaposi, neuroendocrine, thyroid, renal, cervical, lymphoma, liver, colorectal, and breast cancers were increased in both groups, whereas only melanoma was increased in SLE and lung cancer was increased in non-SLE.

• Smoking, cytomegalovirus positivity at time of transplantation, white race, and older age at time of transplantation were associated with increased risk for cancer, whereas shorter time on dialysis, Epstein-Barr virus, or HIV were associated with a lower risk for cancer.

Citation: Ramsey-Goldman R, Brar A, Richardson C, et al. Standardised incidence ratios (SIRs) for cancer after renal transplant in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and non-SLE recipients. [Published online ahead of print June 6, 2016]. Lupus Sci Med. doi:10.1136/lupus-2016-000156.