Comparison of Posttransplant Dermatologic Diseases by Race.

Importance: The risk for skin cancer has been well characterized in white organ transplant recipients (OTRs); however, most patients on the waiting list for organ transplant in the United States are nonwhite. Little is known about cutaneous disease and skin cancer risk in this OTR population. Objective: To compare the incidence of cutaneous disease between white and nonwhite OTRs. Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective review of medical records included 412 OTRs treated from November 1, 2011, through April 22, 2016, at an academic referral center. Prevalence and characteristics of cutaneous disease were compared in 154 white and 258 nonwhite (ie, Asian, Hispanic, and black) OTRs. Clinical factors of cutaneous disease and other common diagnoses assessed in OTRs included demographic characteristics, frequency and type of cancer, anatomical location, time course, sun exposure, risk awareness, and preventive behavior. Main Outcomes and Measures: Primary diagnosis of malignant or premalignant, infectious, and inflammatory disease. Results: The 412 patients undergoing analysis included 264 men (64.1%) and 148 women (35.9%), with a mean age of 60.1 years (range, 32.1-94.3 years). White OTRs more commonly had malignant disease at their first visit (82 [67.8%]), whereas nonwhite OTRs presented more commonly with infectious (63 [37.5%]) and inflammatory (82 [48.8%]) conditions. Skin cancer was diagnosed in 64 (41.6%) white OTRs and 15 (5.8%) nonwhite OTRs. Most lesions in white (294 of 370 [79.5%]) and Asian (5 of 6 [83.3%]) OTRs occurred in sun-exposed areas. Among black OTRs, 6 of 9 lesions (66.7%) occurred in sun-protected areas, specifically the genitals. Fewer nonwhite than white OTRs reported having regular dermatologic examinations (5 [11.4%] vs 8 [36.4%]) and knowing the signs of skin cancer (11 [25.0%] vs 10 [45.4%]). Conclusions and Relevance: Early treatment of nonwhite OTRs should focus on inflammatory and infectious diseases. Sun protection should continue to be emphasized in white, Asian, and Hispanic OTRs. Black OTRs should be counseled to recognize the signs of genital human papillomavirus infection. Optimal posttransplant dermatologic care may be determined based on the race or ethnicity of the patients, but a baseline full-skin assessment should be performed in all patients. All nonwhite OTRs should be counseled more effectively on the signs of skin cancer, with focused discussion points contingent on skin type and race or ethnicity.

Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer in Nonwhite Organ Transplant Recipients.

Importance: Organ transplant recipients have a higher incidence of skin cancer. This risk is magnified over time and with continued exposure to immunosuppression. Skin cancer in nonwhite patients is associated with greater morbidity and mortality owing to diagnosis at a more advanced stage, which suggests that nonwhite organ transplant recipients are at even higher risk. Objective: To describe demographic and clinical factors and the incidence of skin cancer in nonwhite organ transplant recipients. Design, Setting, and Participants: We performed a retrospective medical record review of patients who were organ transplant recipients (154 were white and 259 nonwhite [black, Asian, Hispanic, Pacific Islander]) seen from November 1, 2011, to April 18, 2016 at an academic referral center. Main Outcomes and Measures: Variables were analyzed and compared between racial groups, including sex, age, race/ethnicity, Fitzpatrick type, type and location of skin cancer, type of organ transplanted, time to diagnosis of skin cancer after transplantation, and history of condyloma acuminata and/or verruca vulgaris. Results: Most of the 413 patients (62.7%) evaluated were nonwhite organ transplant recipients; 264 were men, and 149 were women. Their mean (SD) age was 60.09 (13.59) years. Nineteen skin cancers were identified in 15 patients (5.8%) representing 3 racial/ethnic groups: black (6 patients), Asian (5), and Hispanic (4). All squamous cell carcinomas in blacks were diagnosed in the in situ stage, located on sun-protected sites, and occurred in patients whose lesions tested positive for human papilloma virus (HPV) and/or who endorsed a history of condyloma acuminata or verruca vulgaris. Most skin cancers in Asians were located on sun-exposed areas and occurred in individuals who emigrated from equatorial locations. Conclusions and Relevance: Nonwhite organ transplant recipients are at risk for developing skin cancer posttransplantation. Follow-up in a specialized transplant dermatology center and baseline total-body skin examination should be part of posttransplantation care in all organ transplant recipients, including nonwhite patients. A thorough inspection of the groin and genitalia is imperative in black organ transplant recipients. History of HPV infection, particularly in black organ transplant recipients, and sun exposure/emigration history in Asian organ transplant recipients should be documented. Vigilant photoprotection may be of lesser importance in the prevention of skin cancer in black organ transplant recipients. Risk factors for nonwhite organ transplant recipients differ between races/ethnicities and warrant further study in efforts to better counsel and prevent skin cancer in these patients.

Indeterminate liver and renal lesions: comparison of computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging in providing a definitive diagnosis and impact on recommendations for additional imaging.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in terms of likelihood of providing a definitive diagnosis (DD) and a recommendation for additional imaging (RAI), when performed to evaluate indeterminate liver and renal lesions detected on ultrasound as well as in terms of impact on imaging costs. METHODS: This retrospective study was Health Insurance Portability an Accountability Act (HIPAA)-compliant and institutional review board-approved, with waiver of informed consent. We identified consecutive indeterminate liver and renal lesions detected on ultrasound that underwent contrast-enhanced CT or MRI for further characterization. Reports from follow-up studies were reviewed for whether the impression provided DD and RAI. Frequency of DD and RAI was compared between CT and MRI using the Fisher exact test. On the basis of the observed frequency of DD, anticipated imaging costs were compared in a hypothetical sample of 100 patients with indeterminate lesions between first obtaining multiphase CT for all lesions and a subsequent MRI for those lesions indeterminate on CT versus directly obtaining a multiphase MRI for all lesions. RESULTS: A total of 143 renal lesions were included, of which 77 and 66 underwent CT and MRI, respectively. Magnetic resonance imaging was significantly more likely than CT to provide DD (95.5% vs 77.9%; P = 0.003) and significantly less likely to provide RAI (1.5% vs 10.4%; P = 0.038). A total of 221 liver lesions were included, of which 76 and 145 underwent CT and MRI, respectively. Magnetic resonance imaging was significantly more likely than CT to provide DD (95.2% vs 71.1%; P < 0.001) and significantly less likely to provide RAI (0% vs 10.5%; P < 0.001). Across the entire study cohort, there were 13 instances of MRI recommended after an indeterminate CT and 1 case of CT recommended after an indeterminate MRI. A DD was provided in 8 of 9 instances in which MRI was performed after an indeterminate CT. However, anticipated imaging costs were higher when directly obtaining MRI for all indeterminate lesions, compared with initially obtaining multiphase CT, for both kidney ($64,739 vs $49,759) and liver ($64,739 vs. $56,975) lesions, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: For indeterminate liver and renal lesions detected on ultrasound, MRI is more likely to provide DD and less likely to provide RAI in comparison with CT, although these differences did not result in lower anticipated imaging costs.

Cancer cell-associated MT1-MMP promotes blood vessel invasion and distant metastasis in triple-negative mammary tumors.

Functional roles for the cancer cell-associated membrane type I matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) during early steps of the metastatic cascade in primary tumors remain unresolved. In an effort to determine its significance, we determined the in vivo effects of RNAi-mediated downregulation in mammary cancer cells on the migration, blood and lymphatic vessel invasion (LVI), and lymph node and lung metastasis. We also correlated the expression of cancer cell MT1-MMP with blood vessel invasion (BVI) in 102 breast cancer biopsies. MT1-MMP downregulation in cancer cells decreased lung metastasis without affecting primary tumor growth. The inhibition of lung metastasis correlated with reduced cancer cell migration and BVI. Furthermore, cancer cell-expressed MT1-MMP upregulated the expression of MT1-MMP in vascular endothelial cells, but did not affect MT1-MMP expression in lymphatic endothelial cells, LVI, or lymph node metastasis. Of clinical importance, we observed that elevated MT1-MMP expression correlated with BVI in biopsies from triple-negative breast cancers (TNBC), which have a poor prognosis and high incidence of distant metastasis, relative to other breast cancer subtypes. Together, our findings established that MT1-MMP activity in breast tumors is essential for BVI, but not LVI, and that MT1-MMP should be further explored as a predictor and therapeutic target of hematogenous metastasis in TNBC patients.