Objective: Since more solid malignancies are observed in transplant recipients treated with cyclosporine (CsA) than in healthy persons. We sought to describe the incidence of malignancy in patients treated with CsA for fibrosing interstitial pneumonia.
Methods: We prospectively reviewed 43 patients who received CsA and prednisolone for fibrosing interstitial pneumonia over 180 days at our hospital between April 2004 and October 2008. The duration of CsA treatment was 632 +/- 364 days.
Results: Malignancy developed in 6 (14.0%) patients. Time to diagnosis after medical intervention ranged from 394 days to 1325 days (mean, 783 days). Non-small cell lung cancer was diagnosed in 4 cases. These were discovered by routine computed tomography in all cases. Hepatocellular carcinoma and gastric cancer were each diagnosed in 1 case, respectively. Incidence of malignancy tended to be higher in patients who had been treated with CsA for 567 days or more than in those who had been treated for less than 567 days, but this was not statistically significant.
Conclusion: Our results highlight the need for close follow-up for patients who receive CsA for over 2 years. This could lead to cancer detection at an early stage.