Management of organ transplant recipients attending a high‐throughput skin cancer surgery and surveillance clinic in Queensland

Abstract

This high-volume surgical outpatient transplant skin clinic enables efficient treatment of skin cancers in very-high-risk OTRs.

The effects of a multidisciplinary high‐throughput skin clinic on healthcare costs of organ transplant recipients

“…All adult OTRs, or those with organ failure, lymphoproliferative diseases and/ or under immunosuppressive treatment who were referred to the clinic by a specialist (nephrologist, transplant physician and/or dermatologist from the Princess Alexandra Hospital) during the enrolment period December 2016 to May 2017 (Fig. ) were eligible to take part . Patients were required to comprehend the study requirements and give informed consent.…”

“…To address this lack, the Princess Hospital Transplant Skin Clinic (hereafter ‘the clinic’) was established in Queensland, Australia, in March 2016 to provide expert dermatology and surgical care and expedite skin cancer treatments for very high‐risk OTRs in the state . As part of a broader clinic evaluation, the purpose of this study was to quantify: (i) the financial burden incurred by OTRs for their ongoing related health care and (ii) hospital costs related to skin cancer management before and after establishment of the clinic.…”

Extreme Incidence of Skin Cancer in Kidney and Liver Transplant Recipients Living with High Sun Exposure

“…The extreme skin cancer incidence rates reported here reveal the substantial extra burden among OTRs caused by high sun exposure. They highlight the need for specialized, dedicated surveillance clinics to ensure rapid skin cancer treatment and regular prevention education by clinical staff (15).…”

How to organize skin cancer care for organ transplant recipients

“…The high incidence of skin cancer in OTRs is a clinical and logistical challenge for dermatological healthcare systems worldwide, and numerous reports on the set‐up of specialized clinics for OTRs with skin cancer and premalignant skin lesions have been published. In this issue of the BJD , Papier and coworkers describe their experience of running a specialized, high‐volume, high‐throughput clinic for skin cancer surgery and surveillance of OTRs and other high‐risk patients . The emphasis of this clinic is on rapid access, including self‐referrals, and rapid surgical management by a multidisciplinary clinical team with dermatologists, surgeons, transplant physicians and others.…”

“…These data are particularly interesting as they come from Brisbane, ‘The Skin Cancer Capital of the World’, with a high background incidence of skin cancer. Although descriptive in design and with a short study period, the report indicates that this specialist‐led, multidisciplinary, high‐throughput, all‐in‐one‐place concept enables more rapid management of patients with skin cancers, thereby avoiding multiple referrals between several specialists and multiple visits and long waiting times for the patients …”