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Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) survivors face skin cancer risks far exceeding the general population — and two new studies show we can do better. Risk-stratification models accurately predicted who's most at risk for basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. Meanwhile, a randomized trial found that simple text messages and print materials nearly tripled self-exam rates among survivors.
Hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) survivors are significantly more likely to develop skin cancers than the general population — their melanoma risk is over five times higher, and cumulative incidence of squamous and basal cell carcinomas exceeds 10% within a decade of transplant. Yet screening rates remain low, with only about one-third of survivors reporting annual self-exams or physician-performed screenings. Two new studies aim to change that.
The first, published in JAMA Dermatology, validated risk-stratification models using patient and treatment data from 3,448 HCT survivors. The models showed strong predictive performance, helping clinicians identify who needs the closest dermatologic surveillance. A second randomized trial (the TEACH study, n=720) tested whether remote interventions could close the screening gap — and the results were striking.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: These findings offer a scalable, low-cost playbook for improving survivorship care. Empowering patients through text messages and print materials — with minimal resources — can dramatically boost screening rates, while adding physician education further increases clinical exams. For a population often lost in the transition from transplant to primary care, these tools could meaningfully improve early cancer detection.
