Angiogenesis and host immune response contribute to the aggressive character of non-melanoma skin cancers in renal transplant recipients.

Aims: The aim of this study was to determine the contribution of tumour angiogenesis to the aggressive growth of non-melanoma skin cancers (NMSCs) in renal transplant recipients (RTRs).

Methods And Results: The study cohort included RTRs (n = 38) with formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tumour samples available from first post-transplant NMSC (NMSC1) surgically excised at Christchurch Hospital, New Zealand, from 1997 to 2007. Comparable samples excised from immunocompetent individuals (ICIs) (n = 36) were selected to accommodate confounding factors.