COLON-CARCINOMA IN PATIENTS UNDERGOING LIVER-TRANSPLANTATION

BACKGROUND: Organ recipients are at risk for certain neoplasms. Ulcera tive colitis (UC) is itself a strong risk factor for the development o f colon carcinoma (CCa). Transplant patients with UC might be at highe r risk for CCa. We analyzed these patients to compare the incidence an d pattern of CCa development in these and non-UC patients following li ver transplantation (OLTX). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Retrospective study of 1,085 OLTX patients. RESULTS: In 1,022 patients without UC, 1 patie nt (<0.1%) developed adenocarcinoma in a colonic polyp 46 months after OLTX. Sixty-three of 108 (60%) patients undergoing OLTX simultaneousl y had UC. Five OLTX patients (8%) with UC developed colon adenocarcino ma 22 to 66 (mean 48) months after OLTX. Two have died. CONCLUSIONS: C oexistent UC in patients requiring OLTX constitutes a potentially high risk for the development of colonic cancer, a late-appearing event. T hese patients require close observation and frequent colonoscopic/hist ologic screening of the colon. (C) 1998 by Excerpta Medica, Inc.