Dataset Information

Consensus-Based Recommendations on the Prevention of Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients: A Delphi Consensus Statement.

ABSTRACT:

Importance

There is a paucity of evidence to guide physicians regarding prevention strategies for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) in solid organ transplant recipients (SOTRs).

Objective

To examine the development and results of a Delphi process initiated to identify consensus-based medical management recommendations for prevention of CSCC in SOTRs.

Evidence review

Dermatologists with more than 5 years' experience treating SOTRs were invited to participate. A novel actinic damage and skin cancer index (AD-SCI), consisting of 6 ordinal stages corresponding to an increasing burden of actinic damage and CSCC, was used to guide survey design. Three sequential web-based surveys were administered from January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2020. Pursuant to Delphi principles, respondents thoroughly reviewed all peer responses between rounds. Supplemental questions were also asked to better understand panelists' rationale for their responses.

Findings

The Delphi panel comprised 48 dermatologists. Respondents represented 13 countries, with 27 (56%) from the US. Twenty-nine respondents (60%) were Mohs surgeons. Consensus was reached with 80% or higher concordance among respondents when presented with a statement, question, or management strategy pertaining to prevention of CSCC in SOTRs. A near-consensus category of 70% to less than 80% concordance was also defined. The AD-SCI stage-based recommendations were established if consensus or near-consensus was achieved. The panel was able to make recommendations for 5 of 6 AD-SCI stages. Key recommendations include the following: cryotherapy for scattered actinic keratosis (AK); field therapy for AK when grouped in 1 anatomical area, unless AKs are thick in which case field therapy and cryotherapy were recommended; combination lesion directed and field therapy with fluorouracil for field cancerized skin; and initiation of acitretin therapy and discussion of immunosuppression reduction or modification for patients who develop multiple skin cancers at a high rate (10 CSCCs per year) or develop high-risk CSCC (defined by a tumor with approximately ≥20% risk of nodal metastasis). No consensus recommendation was achieved for SOTRs with a first low risk CSCC.

Conclusions and relevance

Physicians may consider implementation of panel recommendations for prevention of CSCC in SOTRs while awaiting high-level-of-evidence data. Additional clinical trials are needed in areas where consensus was not reached.

SUBMITTER: Massey PR

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9937447 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Consensus-Based Recommendations on the Prevention of Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients: A Delphi Consensus Statement.

Massey Paul R PR Schmults Chrysalyne D CD Li Sara J SJ Arron Sarah T ST Asgari Maryam M MM Bouwes Bavinck Jan Nico JN Billingsley Elizabeth E Blalock Travis W TW Blasdale Katie K Carroll Bryan T BT Carucci John A JA Chong Alvin H AH Christensen Sean R SR Chung Christina Lee CL DeSimone Jennifer A JA Ducroux Emilie E Escutia-Muñoz Begoña B Ferrándiz-Pulido Carla C Fox Matthew C MC Genders Roel E RE Geusau Alexandra A Gjersvik Petter P Hanlon Allison M AM Olasz Harken Edit B EB Hofbauer Günther F L GFL Hopkins R Samuel RS Leitenberger Justin J JJ Loss Manisha J MJ Del Marmol Veronique V Mascaró José M JM Myers Sarah A SA Nguyen Bichchau T BT Oliveira Walmar R P WRP Otley Clark C CC Proby Charlotte M CM Rácz Emoke E Ruiz-Salas Veronica V Samie Faramarz H FH Seçkin Deniz D Shah Syed N SN Shin Thuzar M TM Shumack Stephen P SP Soon Seaver L SL Stasko Thomas T Zavattaro Elisa E Zeitouni Nathalie C NC Zwald Fiona O'Reilly FO Harwood Catherine A CA Jambusaria-Pahlajani Anokhi A

JAMA dermatology 20211001 10

<h4>Importance</h4>There is a paucity of evidence to guide physicians regarding prevention strategies for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) in solid organ transplant recipients (SOTRs).<h4>Objective</h4>To examine the development and results of a Delphi process initiated to identify consensus-based medical management recommendations for prevention of CSCC in SOTRs.<h4>Evidence review</h4>Dermatologists with more than 5 years' experience treating SOTRs were invited to participate. A novel ...[more]

PMID: 34468690

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Project description:Importance:Solid organ transplant recipients (SOTRs) have a 100-fold increased risk of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and they may develop more aggressive SCCs compared with immunocompetent individuals. Objective:To compare outcomes associated with aggressive behavior of SCC in SOTRs and high-risk immunocompetent patients. Design, Setting, and Participants:A retrospective cohort study of 58 SOTRs and 40 immunocompetent patients evaluated at the Yale Transplant Dermatology Clinic in New Haven, Connecticut, who had at least 1 SCC confirmed histopathologically between January 1, 2008, and December 31, 2015. Cumulative follow-up time for this study was 369 patient-years. Exposure:Immunosuppressive medication regimen for SOTRs. Main Outcomes and Measures:The primary outcome measure was tumor depth of SCC. Secondary outcome measures that reflected tumor aggressiveness included perineural invasion, regional metastases, nodal metastases, disease-specific death, and overall death. Results:Of the 58 SOTR study participants, 14 were women and 44 were men; the mean (SD) age was 61.3 (8.4) years. Of the 40 immunocompetent study participants, 16 were women and 24 were men; the mean (SD) age was 69.8 (10.9) years, resulting in a statistically significant difference from the SOTR group. The mean (SD) number of years that SOTRs were immunosuppressed was 14.6 (9.2) years (range, 2-37 years). The SOTR and immunocompetent groups were statistically comparable regarding race and sex, patient care, follow-up time, numbers of skin lesions, and field cancerization and chemopreventive therapies. The SOTR group had a significantly higher annual frequency of visits (mean [SD], 4 [2] vs 3 [2] office visits per patient per year, P = .02) and annual biopsy rates (mean [SD], 6 [4] vs 5 [3] biopsies per patient per year, P = .04). The SOTRs developed SCCs that did not appear to be significantly more aggressive than those found in the immunocompetent control group. These SOTRs also did not develop significantly thicker tumors than the immunocompetent control group (median [IQR] tumor depth, 1.30 [0.90-1.60] mm in 35 SOTRs vs 1.22 [1.10-1.60] mm in 20 immunocompetent patients). Conclusions and Relevance:The increased risk and the potential for aggressive behavior of SCCs in SOTRs may be successfully managed at a level comparable to that in high-risk immunocompetent individuals through close adherence to current dermatologic surveillance recommendations and a marginally lower threshold for biopsy of suspicious lesions for SOTRs.

Project description:BackgroundThe risk of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is significantly increased in organ transplant recipients (OTRs). Clearance of actinic keratoses (AKs) is generally regarded as a surrogate biomarker for cSCC prevention. OTR-cSCC chemoprevention with topical AK treatments has not been investigated in randomized controlled trials (RCTs), although there is evidence that 5% 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) may be chemoprotective in immunocompetent patients.ObjectivesTo assess the feasibility, activity and evaluation outcomes relevant to the design of a future phase III RCT of topical cSCC chemoprevention in OTRs.MethodsOTRs with 10 or more AKs in predefined areas were randomized 1 : 1 : 1 to topical 5-FU, 5% imiquimod (IMIQ) or sunscreen (sun-protective factor 30+) in a phase II, open-label RCT over 15 months. Feasibility outcomes included proportions of eligible OTRs randomized, completing treatment and willing to be re-treated. AK activity [AK clearance, new AK development, patient-centred outcomes (toxicity, health-related quality of life, HRQoL)] and evaluation methodology (clinical vs. photographic) were assessed.ResultsForty OTRs with 903 AKs were randomized. All feasibility outcomes were met (56% of eligible OTRs were randomized; 89% completed treatment; 81% were willing to be re-treated). AK activity analyses found 5-FU and IMIQ were superior to sunscreen for AK clearance and prevention of new AKs. 5-FU was more effective than IMIQ in AK clearance and prevention in exploratory analyses. Although toxicity was greater with 5-FU, HRQoL outcomes were similar.ConclusionsTrials of topical AK treatments in OTRs for cSCC chemoprevention are feasible and AK activity results support further investigation of 5-FU-based treatments in future phase III trials. What is already known about this topic? Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is significantly more common in immunocompromised individuals including organ transplant recipients (OTRs) compared with immunocompetent populations. cSCC chemoprevention activity of sunscreen and 5-fluorouracil-based (5-FU) actinic keratosis (AK) treatments has been demonstrated in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in immunocompetent populations but not in OTRs. AKs are cSCC precursors and their clearance and prevention are generally regarded as surrogate endpoint biomarkers for potential cSCC chemoprevention activity. What does this study add? SPOT (SCC Prevention in OTRs using Topical treatments) has confirmed that RCTs of OTR-cSCC chemoprevention with topical AK treatments are feasible. It also suggests that topical 5-FU may be superior to 5% imiquimod and sunscreen in AK clearance and prevention. Together with recent evidence from several RCTs in the general population, these data provide a compelling rationale for further studies of intervention with 5-FU-based topical chemoprevention approaches in OTR-cSCC prevention.

Project description:BackgroundImmunosuppressed solid organ transplant recipients (SOTRs) have elevated rates of certain rare cancers caused by viruses. Evaluating risk of rare cancers among SOTRs may provide etiological clues for additional cancers linked to poor immunity and viral infections.MethodsWe performed a cohort study of 262 455 SOTRs (1987-2014) from the US SOTR registry linked to 17 population-based cancer registries. First cancers in SOTRs were categorized using an established classification scheme based on site and histology. Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) compared risk in SOTRs with the general population. We used Poisson regression to calculate incidence rate ratios according to immune-related SOTR characteristics, including time since transplant (ie, duration of immunosuppression). All statistical tests were 2-sided.ResultsWe examined 694 distinct cancer subtypes, with 33 manifesting statistically significantly elevated SIRs (Bonferroni P < 7.2 × 10-5). All 33 are rare (incidence <6 per 100 000 person-years) and several have known viral etiology (eg, Merkel cell carcinoma: SIR = 24.7, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 20.8 to 29.1). Additional cancers that were increased include squamous cell carcinomas of the lip (SIR range = 18.3-19.8), eye and adnexa (SIR = 13.8, 95% CI = 7.9 to 22.3), salivary gland (SIR = 9.3, 95% CI = 6.1 to 13.5), and nasal cavity and sinuses (SIR = 4.5, 95% CI = 2.8 to 6.8); sebaceous adenocarcinoma (SIR = 34.3, 95% CI = 26.3 to 44.0); malignant fibrous histiocytoma (15.4); and subtypes of bladder, kidney, lung, and colon cancer (SIR range = 3.2-13.3). Incidence of several cancers increased over time since transplant (Ptrend < .05), including squamous cell carcinomas of the lip, salivary gland, and anogenital sites.ConclusionsSOTRs experience elevated rates of several rare cancers. Because some of these cancers exhibit aggressive behavior with poor outcomes, it is important to further characterize the role of immunity and the potential involvement of oncogenic viruses to improve prevention and treatment.

Dataset Information

Consensus-Based Recommendations on the Prevention of Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients: A Delphi Consensus Statement.

Importance

Objective

Evidence review

Findings

Conclusions and relevance

Publications

Consensus-Based Recommendations on the Prevention of Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients: A Delphi Consensus Statement.

Similar Datasets

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