A highly functioning immune system is essential to prevent and control the development and spread of skin cancer. There is a delicate balance that must occur when working with transplant and high-risk individuals. Transplant recipients need to take immunosuppressant medications to prevent their bodies from rejecting the transplanted organ. These drugs weaken the immune system, making it less effective at fighting off cancer cells, including those in the skin. Immunosuppression also makes the skin more vulnerable to the damaging effects of ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. The AHN Transplant and High-Risk Skin Cancer Clinic is focused on treating transplant recipients and those who are at higher risk for skin cancer.
If you are on immune suppression as part of your solid organ transplant, you are at:
As part of the organ recipient process, a dermatologist needs to screen you for skin cancer before you are placed on the organ transplant recipient list. This is to ensure there is no skin cancer present at baseline before starting immunosuppressive medications upon receiving the transplant.
The team at the AHN Transplant and High-Risk Skin Cancer Clinic has the experience and expertise to manage and treat this specific population with coordinated, personalized care.
Other medical conditions that raise your risk of skin cancer include:
Getting regular skin screenings, wearing sunscreen, and talking to your doctor about any changes in your skin are important for everyone, but even more so if you are immunocompromised.
At AHN, we specialize in providing expert care for individuals with weakened immune systems. This includes patients who have undergone solid organ transplants or are at high risk for skin cancer due to their medical condition or medications. Our team understands the unique challenges faced by you and provides comprehensive and personalized care to help you maintain your health and well-being. At AHN you can expect:
AHN’s Skin Cancer Center Director and Surgical Oncologist Dr. Howard Edington has been an active member and supporter of the Pittsburgh Melanoma Foundation since its inception. With a patient-driven agenda, this foundation has helped thousands of patients while raising money for many research and skin cancer efforts. Survivor support is also available to connect those who are currently or have been affected by melanoma or skin cancer.
At the AHN Cancer Institute Skin Cancer Center at West Penn hospital, our multidisciplinary team consists of dermatologists and surgical oncologists specially trained in the care of transplant, immunosuppressed, and other high-risk skin cancer patients, including routine screening and dermatology clearance required prior to organ transplantation as well as skin cancer prevention and treatment.
Available skin cancer treatments include:
