Cancer surveillance in patients receiving long-term hemodialysis

Background: Cancer incidence in patients submitted to chronic hemodialysis still remains a subject of debate: there is evidence for increased risk, but the results are still controversial. Adoption of a specific surveillance protocol would appear useful. Materials and Methods: In our Department we prospectively followed patients subject to long-term hemodialysis for a 70-year period, having adopted strict inclusion criteria. The protocol of surveillance included available, low cost and low-invasive examinations. Results: The cancer incidence among our study group was significantly higher than expected (1.58%), similar to that reported in the literature, with prevalence of cancer of the kidney (2 patients), prostate, corpus uteri and colon (1 patient each). Conclusion: Through following the surveillance protocol, all patients were able to undergo radical oncological surgery, with prevalence of early stage disease at histopathological examination. Our data support the adoption of such protocols for cancer surveillance in hemodialysis units.