Advances in the Chemoprevention of Non-melanoma Skin Cancer in High-Risk Organ Transplant Recipients

doi:10.1053/j.seminoncol.2012.01.001

Seminars in Oncology

Volume 39, Issue 2, April 2012, Pages 134-138

https://doi.org/10.1053/j.seminoncol.2012.01.001 Get rights and content

Patients with a history of more than four basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) or squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) are at high risk for developing further skin cancers. Immunosuppressed patients, especially solid organ transplantation patients, harbor a higher risk of developing SCC. Systemic retinoids have been demonstrated to possess chemoprophylactic properties in the treatment of non-melanoma skin cancer. This article reviews the efficacies of the available oral retinoid agents in the chemoprophylaxis of SCCs in high-risk solid organ transplant recipients.

Section snippets

Systemic Retinoid Agents

Retinoids include vitamin A (retinol) and its natural product, retinoic acid. Retinoids are vital in promoting cell maturation and cell differentiation, which in turn may downregulate proto-oncogenes and increase ceramide levels intracellularly.1, 2, 3 Retinoids bind to nuclear receptors and regulate gene transcription,4, 5, 6 inducing changes that ultimately may decrease cell growth and halt malignant transformation.2, 3 Acitretin (Soriatane, Stiefel Laboratories, Research Triangle Park, NC),

Conclusion

Retinoids regulate cellular differentiation and prevent malignant transformation by downregulating proto-oncogenes. Thus, retinoids are potentially effective in the chemoprevention of non-melanoma skin cancer for high-risk patients, whether because of severe immunosuppression or other reasons. Currently, acitretin is FDA-approved for severe psoriasis in adults. Acitretin and etretinate have shown favorable results in multiple studies in the chemoprophylaxis of SCCs in high-risk organ transplant

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Cited by (8)

Radix et Rhizoma Ginseng chemoprevents both initiation and promotion of cutaneous carcinoma by enhancing cell-mediated immunity and maintaining redox homeostasis
2020, Journal of Ginseng Research
Citation Excerpt :
However, when the carcinoma metastasizes, this will lead to severe morbidity and mortality [5]. Alternatively, chemoprevention has been widely accepted to lower the incidence rate and the death rate of cutaneous carcinoma [6,7]. Radix et Rhizoma Ginseng [commonly called 人参 (Ren Shen) in Chinese; ginseng in English] has been widely used as a medicinal herb for thousands of years in China to boost people's physical vitality and prolong people's life [8].
Radix et Rhizoma Ginseng (thereafter called ginseng) has been used as a medicinal herb for thousands of years to maintain people's physical vitality and is also a non–organ-specific cancer preventive and therapeutic traditional medicine in several epidemiologic and preclinical studies. Owing to few toxic side effects and strong enhancement on body immunity, ginseng has admirable application potential and value in cancer chemoprevention. The study aims at investigating the chemopreventive effects of ginseng on cutaneous carcinoma and the underlying mechanisms.
The mouse skin cancer model was induced by 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene/12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate. Ultraperformance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry was used for identifying various ginsenosides, the main active ingredients of ginseng. Comprehensive approaches (including network pharmacology, bioinformatics, and experimental verification) were used to explore the potential targets of ginseng.
Ginseng treatment inhibited cutaneous carcinoma in terms of initiation and promotion. The content of Rb1, Rb2, Rc, and Rd ginsenosides was the highest in both mouse blood and skin tissues. Ginseng and its active components well maintained the redox homeostasis and modulated the immune response in the model. Specifically, ginseng treatment inhibited the initiation of skin cancer by enhancing T-cell–mediated immune response through upregulating HSP27 expression and inhibited the promotion of skin cancer by maintaining cellular redox homeostasis through promoting nuclear translocation of Nrf2.
According to the study results, ginseng can be potentially used for cutaneous carcinoma as a chemopreventive agent by enhancing cell-mediated immunity and maintaining redox homeostasis with multiple components, targets, and links.
An update on clinical trials for chemoprevention of human skin cancer
2023, Journal of Cancer Metastasis and Treatment
A pediatric case of squamous cell cancer in situ in the setting of sclerodermatous graft-versus-host disease and voriconazole treatment
2018, Pediatric Dermatology
Synthesis and characterization of a new retinoic acid ECPIRM as potential chemotherapeutic agent for human cutaneous squamous carcinoma
2015, Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry
Overview on non-melanoma skin cancers in solid organ transplant recipients
2014, Giornale Italiano di Dermatologia e Venereologia
Advanced basal cell carcinoma
2013, Wiener Medizinische Wochenschrift

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: The authors disclose no conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise.

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Published by Elsevier Inc.

Advanced cutaneous malignanciesAdvances in the Chemoprevention of Non-melanoma Skin Cancer in High-Risk Organ Transplant Recipients

Section snippets

Systemic Retinoid Agents

Conclusion

J Am Acad Dermatol

Semin Cell Biol

J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol

J Heart Lung Transplant

Dermatol Clin

J Am Acad Dermatol

Retinoids in chemoprevention and differentiation therapy

Carcinogenesis

Retinoic acid is a negative regulator of AP-1-responsive genes

Proc Natl Acad Sci USA

Systemic retinoids for chemoprevention of non-melanoma skin cancer in high-risk patients

J Drugs Dermatol

Systemic strategies for chemoprevention of skin cancers in transplant recipients

Clin Transplant

Trial of retinol and isotretinoin in skin cancer prevention: a randomized, double-blind, controlled trialSouthwest Skin Cancer Prevention Study Group

Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev

Advanced cutaneous malignancies
Advances in the Chemoprevention of Non-melanoma Skin Cancer in High-Risk Organ Transplant Recipients