Most people don't realize that transplant recipients are at increased risk for developing several types of cancer compared to the general population. Skin cancer, especially squamous cell carcinoma, is the most common cancer occurring in transplant recipients, occurring 60-250 times more frequently than in the general population! Unfortunately, transplant recipients tend to develop multiple, aggressive squamous cell carcinomas that can be life threatening. Indeed, skin cancer is reported to account for 27% of deaths in heart recipients greater than 4 years post-transplant in Australia and is a significant cause of death among Swedish transplant recipients. Although data necessary to determine mortality rates for skin cancer are not collected in North America, it is clear that skin cancer is a significant problem compromising both the health and quality of life of transplant recipients.  

Two important factors implicated in skin cancer risk are ultraviolet light (UV) exposure and the chronic immunosuppression therapy transplant recipients must take to prevent graft rejection. However, the biologic mechanisms that result in aggressive skin cancers in transplant patients are not known.

We formed the Post-transplant Skin Cancer Research Group at The Ohio State University in 2001 to study and begin to understand the factors that contribute to the increased risk and increased aggressiveness of skin cancer in transplant recipients. The core Research Group consists of 3 laboratories within the Comprehensive Cancer Center and RJ Solove Research Institute that are located in three different departments (Surgery, Pathology and Veterinary Biosciences) and two different colleges (Medicine and Public Health and Veterinary Medicine). Our laboratories each examine very different aspects of skin cancer using a preclinical animal model that closely mimics human squamous cell carcinomas. For example, the expertise of the VanBuskirk laboratory is cellular and transplantation immunology, that of the Oberyszyn laboratory is UV-induced inflammation and cancer chemoprevention, and that of the Kusewitt laboratory is tumor progression, metastasis and mouse skin histopathology. Together we are able to perform interdisciplinary studies, resulting in a more thorough understanding of this important clinical problem.

Our website provides information about each of our laboratories and the progress we're making understanding and ultimately treating and preventing post-transplant skin cancer, as well as general sun protection information and links to other informative, useful websites, such as the International Transplant Skin Cancer Collaborative.

Thank you for your interest. We hope you enjoy your visit.  

Anne M. VanBuskirk, Ph.D.

Tatiana M. Oberyszyn, Ph.D.

Donna F. Kusewitt, DVM, Ph.D.