Abstract: Backgrounds: De novo neoplasms after liver transplantation are one of the most frequent causes of morbidity and mortality in the long-term transplanted population. This study aimed to investigate the incidence, clinical characteristics and survival outcomes of de novo head and neck cancer in liver transplant recipients at our tertiary hospital.
Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted at a tertiary hospital, including 585 patients who underwent liver transplantation at our institution between 1995 and 2024. These patients were regularly monitored for the development of head and neck carcinoma, among other conditions. The overall survival of patients diagnosed with de novo head and neck tumours was analyzed.
Results: Among the 585 patients, 14 (2.4%) developed head and neck cancer. The mean follow-up period after cancer diagnosis was 8.5?months (range, 1?84?months) with only three patients surviving 5-years after diagnosis. Notably, 13 of the 14 (93%) of these patients had alcohol-related liver disease.
Conclusions: Our study revealed a notable incidence of head and neck cancer, particularly among patients with a history of alcohol consumption following liver transplantation. Patients diagnosed with advanced-stage disease had a poor prognosis. Regular otorhinolaryngology follow-up is therefore recommended for this population.
