Sirolimus Reduces Risk for Second Cancers After Kidney Transplant

The use of immunosuppressive agents such as sirolimus — a mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor — has dramatically improved patient outcomes after renal transplantation. But these agents are known to be associated with an increased risk for second cancers, which account for 10% to 30% of all deaths in the renal-transplant population. The most common type of second cancer in kidney-transplant recipients is non-melanoma skin cancer.

To assess the risk for second cancers and death in kidney-transplant recipients who received sirolimus, international investigators conducted an industry-funded systematic review and meta-analysis of 21 randomized trials comparing immunosuppressive regimens with and without sirolimus in 5876 eligible patie…