Kidney transplant and skin cancer: what to know

A transplant recipient takes medicines that reduce immune activity so the donated kidney can function. Those medicines can also reduce the body's ability to recognise and control abnormal skin cells. Watch for a new growth, a sore that does not heal, a spot that changes in colour or shape, a rough scaly patch, bleeding, crusting, or persistent tenderness. These changes can have non-cancer causes, but a clinician should examine them rather than relying on appearance alone.

Skin cancer is separate from kidney cancer. If a clinician finds a concerning lesion, assessment may include close examination, dermoscopy, or a biopsy. The transplant team should be involved before any medicine is changed because protecting kidney function remains essential.

Check your skin regularly in good light, including the scalp, ears, between the toes, and areas hidden by clothing. Use shade and protective clothing outdoors, and follow your clinician's advice about sunscreen. Keep a record or photograph of a changing spot so its development is easier to describe. Never stop an anti-rejection medicine yourself. Treatment for a confirmed skin cancer may involve removal, Tumour Ablation, or another approach; advanced disease may lead to discussion of Targeted Therapy or Immunotherapy, with transplant specialists weighing the effects on the kidney.

Arrange prompt review for a spot that changes, bleeds, crusts, grows, or fails to heal. Seek urgent help for uncontrolled bleeding, rapidly spreading redness, severe pain, fever, or signs of infection around a wound. Contact the transplant team quickly if you are unwell or if treatment is being planned, because infection risk and medicine interactions may need attention.

Ask: How often should I have a professional skin examination? Which changes should I report immediately? Could my transplant medicines affect this lesion or its treatment? Is a biopsy needed? If cancer is confirmed, how will surgery or Tumour Ablation affect my kidney and anti-rejection plan?