Clinical and economic burden of benign and malignant skin lesions in renal transplant recipients.

Background: Studies evaluating the economic burden of dermatological care in the transplant setting are currently not available in Australia.

Aims: To evaluate the clinical and economic burden of benign and malignant skin lesions in renal transplant recipients in Central Queensland.

Methods: A bottom-up approach was used to determine the clinical burden and direct costs from patient-level Medicare data obtained from Service Australia for skin lesions.

An integrated skin cancer education program in renal transplant recipients and patients with glomerular disease.

Sun-protective strategies focusing on skin cancer awareness are needed in immunosuppressed patients at risk of skin cancers. The study aims to determine the effect of an integrated skin cancer education program on skin cancer awareness and sun-protective behaviours in renal transplant recipients (RTRs) and patients with glomerular disease (GD) treated with long-term immunosuppressants. A pilot prospective cohort study in Central Queensland, Australia was undertaken among adult RTRs and patients with GD, who completed survey questionaries on skin cancer and sun-health knowledge (SCSK), sun-protection practices and skin examination pre- and post-education.

Critical evaluation of cancer risks in glomerular disease.

The increased cancer incidence in patients with glomerular disease can be secondary to an intrinsic immune dysfunction associated with the disease or/and extrinsic factors, especially immunosuppressants. The treatment for paraneoplastic glomerulopathy is different from primary glomerular disease. Immunosuppressive therapy often used for primary glomerulopathy may aggravate concomitant cancers in patients with paraneoplastic glomerulopathy.

Comparison of skin cancer awareness and sun protection behaviours between renal transplant recipients and patients with glomerular disease treated with immunosuppressants.

Background: There is no previous study that compare skin cancer awareness and photoprotective behaviours between renal transplant recipients (RTR) and patients with glomerular disease (GD).

Objectives/methods: Sixty-one RTR and 51 patients with GD were given a self-reported questionnaire to evaluate skin cancer awareness and photoprotective behaviours in this cross-sectional study. The former group received a formal education on skin cancer and the latter an informal session prior to immunosuppressant use.

Treatment and Outcomes of Oligometastatic Colorectal Cancer Limited to Lymph Node Metastases.

Introduction: The optimal management of isolated distant lymph node metastases (IDLNM) from a colorectal primary, is not clearly established. We aimed to analyze the outcomes of patients with IDLNM treated with systemic therapies plus locoregional therapy with curative intent versus systemic therapies with palliative intent.

Materials & Methods: Clinical data were collected and reviewed from the Treatment of Recurrent and Advanced Colorectal Cancer registry, a prospective, comprehensive registry for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) treated at multiple tertiary hospitals across Australia.

Reducing non-melanoma skin cancer risk in renal transplant recipients.

With an increasing number of renal transplant recipients (RTRs) and improving patient survival, a higher incidence of non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) has been observed. NMSC in RTRs are often more numerous and biologically more aggressive than the general population, thus contributing towards an increase in morbidity and to a lesser degree, mortality. The resultant cumulative health and financial burden is a recognized concern.

Cancer risks along the disease trajectory in antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody associated vasculitis.

This review appraises the current literature on carcinogenic risks in anti-neutrophilic cytoplasmic autoantibody (ANCA) associated vasculitis (AAV). Patients with AAV are often at increased risk of developing non-melanoma skin carcinomas (NMSCs), haematological malignancies, bladder, breast, lung, prostate, and colorectal carcinomas. Reported cancer incidence in these patients ranged from 10 to 26%.

Pulmonary Embolism as an Initial Presentation of Adrenocortical Carcinoma.

Adrenocortical carcinomas (ACCs) are rare and often aggressive with more than 50% of the cases already in stage III-IV (ENSAT) at the time of diagnosis. Nearly 60% of ACCs present with hormone overproduction syndromes (Cushing's syndrome and/or virilization), while the rest present with abdominal mass or incidental finding. Aggressive surgical resection is the mainstay of treatment usually followed by adjuvant mitotane monotherapy.