Histological predictors of outcome for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma in renal transplant patients: A case-control study

• Published in: JAAD international Vol. 15; pp. 51 - 58
• Main Authors: Harvey, Nathan T., Palmer, Debra J., Tucker, Paige, Chakera, Aron, Foster, Rachael, Lim, Wai, Trevithick, Richard W., Wood, Benjamin A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01-06-2024
• Subjects: carcinoma; logistic models; retrospective studies; skin neoplasms; squamous cell; transplant recipients; retrospective studies; transplant recipients; logistic models; carcinoma; squamous cell; AJCC; skin neoplasms; cSCC
• ISSN: 2666-3287; 2666-3287
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jdin.2023.11.010

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma is a significant cause of morbidity for immunosuppressed patients such as organ transplant recipients; however, histological parameters which predict the likelihood of tumor progression are typically based on general population studies in which immunosuppressed patients represent only a small fraction of cases.
To determine the histological parameters which have independent prognostic value for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma arising in renal transplant recipients.
Case-control study incorporating a retrospective blinded histological review of 70 archived specimens of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma diagnosed in renal transplant recipients, comprising 10 cases where the tumor had progressed and 60 controls.
Progression was significantly associated with head and neck location, size, depth, poor histological grade, perineural invasion (including small caliber perineural invasion), lymphovascular invasion, and a desmoplastic growth pattern.
The retrospective nature and the low number of cases compared to controls.
In immunosuppressed patients both small caliber perineural invasion and a desmoplastic growth pattern may also have prognostic significance in addition to other histological parameters already recognized in formal staging schemes.