CD4 LYMPHOCYTOPENIA AS A RISK FACTOR FOR SKIN CANCERS IN RENAL-TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS

Background. Renal transplant recipients are at increased risk of devel oping skin cancer. It remains difficult to establish the actual influe nce of overimmunosuppression in the development of skin cancers. We in vestigated whether lymphocyte subset count may predict the risk of dev eloping skin cancer in long-term renal transplant recipients. Methods, One hundred fifty long-term renal transplant recipients were followed for a mean period of 26 months. Each patient was examined at least an nually by a dermatologist. Lymphocyte subsets were measured annually, Results. Fifteen patients exhibited skin cancers. Patients with and wi thout skin cancer did not differ in age, gender, transplant duration, hemodialysis duration before transplantation, immunosuppressive regime n, and serum creatinine concentration. CD4 cell counts were significan tly lower in patients with skin cancers (330+/-179/mm(s) vs. 503+/-338 /mm(3); P<0.01), whereas total lymphocyte and CD8 and CD19 cell counts were similar between the two groups. Conclusions, CD4 cell depletion is associated with skin cancer in long-term renal transplant recipient s.