Data about health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in adult recipients after pediatric kidney transplantation (KTx) are scarce. In this nationwide questionnaire-based study, HRQOL and social status in young adult men having undergone KTx during childhood (n = 29) were studied and compared to age- and gender-matched healthy controls (n = 56) and survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (n = 52) comprising controls with another chronic disease of childhood. Altogether 41% of the KTx recipients, 50% of the leukemia survivors and 80% of the healthy controls lived in a permanent relationship. When compared with leukemia survivors, the KTx recipients reported significantly more bodily pain and worse general health (RAND-36). Older age at time of study, longer duration of dialysis, multiple transplantations and diminished graft function correlated with lower scores. The KTx recipients had a significantly higher mean Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) score than the leukemia survivors (P = 0.000) or the healthy controls (P = 0.006). BDI scores were highest in patients who lived without a partner or children had lower educational level or were unemployed. KTx recipients had significantly lower HRQOL scores than their healthy and controls with childhood chronic disease. Early detection of psychosocial problems and poor physical functioning among these patients is warranted.

Background The prevalence of malignancies after pediatric solid organ transplantation was evaluated in a nationwide study. Methods All patients who had undergone kidney, liver, or heart transplantation during childhood between the years 1982 and 2015 in Finland were identified. The inclusion criteria were age under 16 years at transplantation and age over 18 years at the last follow-up day. A total of 233 (137 kidney, 53 liver, and 43 heart) transplant recipients were enrolled. Controls ( n = 1157) matched by the year of birth, gender, and hometown were identified using the Population Register Center registry. The cancer diagnoses were searched using the Finnish Cancer Registry. Results Altogether 26 individuals diagnosed with cancer were found, including 18 transplant recipients. Cancer was diagnosed at a median of 12.0 (IQR 7.8–17.8) years after the transplantation. The transplant recipients’ risk for cancer was significantly higher when compared with the controls (HR 14.7; 95% CI 6.4–33.9). There was no difference for different graft types. Sixty-one percent of cancers among the transplant recipients were diagnosed at age older than 18 years. Conclusion The risk for cancer is significantly higher among young adults having undergone solid organ transplantation during childhood in comparison with population controls. Careful follow-up and attention to prevent cancers throughout adulthood are warranted. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s00467-020-04546-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.