Incidence of nonmelanoma skin cancer in renal transplant recipients: A systematic review and meta?analysis

Nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) in renal transplant recipients is common and associated with signifcant morbidity and mortality. Te aim of the present systematic review and meta?analysis was to estimate the incidence of NMSC among renal transplant recipients.
We systematically searched PubMed, Medline, Scopus, and Web of Science databases for studies that assessed the incidence of NMSC in renal transplant recipients using a combination of relevant keywords. Two independent investigators included studies and extracted necessary information. Random e?ect meta?analysis was used to estimate pooled incidence of NMSC with 95% confdence intervals (CIs).
Twenty?nine studies comprising 36,021 patients meet the criteria for the systematic review. Te pooled incidence of NMSC in renal transplant recipients was 12.6% (95% CI: 12%–14%) with a majority of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) 55% (95% CI: 47%–63%). Te pooled estimate of the incidence rates of SCC and basal cell carcinoma was 2.7% (95% CI: 2%–3.4%) and 2.2% (95% CI: 1.5%–2.8%), respectively. Subgroup analysis per geographic location showed that pooled incidence of NMSC was 39.1% (95% CI: 26.3%–51.8%), 12.4% (95% CI: 8.8%–16%), and 1.2% (95% CI: 0.4%–2%) in Australia and New Zealand, Europe, and Middle East, respectively.
Te results of the current meta?analysis demonstrated that the incidence of NMSC in renal transplant recipients varies widely. Regarding the high incidence of NMSC among renal transplant recipients, awareness of associated risk factors and early diagnosis of the malignancy in the population is a major clinical need.