OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical characteristics and therapeutic outcomes of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) occurring after renal transplantation.

METHODSWe reviewed a total population of 2045 adult kidney recipients between January 1998 and October 2012, 12 of which developed NHL. Their clinical features and outcomes were analyzed.

RESULTS12 patients with a median age of 52.5 (range: 30-68) years old, including 5 males and 7 females, were diagnosed as diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) at a median interval of 84 (range: 12-253) months after transplantation. The incidences of developing NHL at 2-year, 5-year and 10-year were 0.10%, 0.15% and 0.44%, respectively. The locations of lymphoma were diverse, including central nervous system, stomach, liver, kidney, pancreas, uterus, ribs, sKin, soft palate and Waldeyer ring. After reduction of immunosuppression intensity, 3 cases received surgical therapy, 6 cases with chemotherapy, 1 case with surgery combined with chemotherapy, 1 case with chemotherapy combined with irradiation and 1 case without treatment. The overall response rate was 81.8%, including 8 cases with CR, 1 with PR and 2 with progression. During a median of 11.5 (range: 1 to 130) months follow-up, 3 patients died.

CONCLUSIONNHL was a rare but serious complication after renal transplantation occurred with bimodal distribution, which was symptomatic diversity and non- specificity. The most histopathological type was DLBCL. Reduction of immunosuppression intensity was not enough to get efficacy, and CHOP with or without rituximab was effective in the treatment of NHL after renal transplantation.