Incidence of Lymphoproliferative Disorders After Renal Transplantation is Down, but the Poor Prognosis Remains. Multicenter 32-Year Cohort Study.

Background: Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders represent rare but serious complications of kidney transplantation.

Methods: We assessed incidence, risk factors, and outcomes in 21,546 patients receiving grafts between 1990 and 2009. Data were compared by decade of transplant (1990-1999 vs 2000-2009). Patients were followed for at least 12 years over a 32-year study period.

Results: In total, 331 patients (1.5%) developed PTLD: 189 of 9740 transplanted in the first decade, and 142 of 11,806 in the second. Incidence decreased significantly (19.40 vs12.02 cases/1000 patients; P < .001). Mean age at diagnosis was 50.2 years (standard deviation 14.7), and the median time from transplant to PTLD diagnosis was 48 months (interquartile range, 14.7-77.5), with no difference between cohorts. The origin of PTLD was mostly (86%) B-cell proliferation. No classical risk factors were reported in 31.7% of affected patients. Compared with 2000 to 2009, in 1990 to 1999 there was a higher frequency of induction therapy (P = .023) and detection of the Epstein-Barr virus in lymphoproliferative tissue (71.3% vs 52.7% P = .019). After diagnosis, 1- and 5-year patient survival was 51% and 38%. Graft survival was 48% and 33%. Survival was stable throughout the study period.

Conclusion: Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders have a low and decreasing incidence, but the poor prognosis has not changed.