Transplantation of liver and kidney from donors with malignancy at the time of donation: an experience from a single centre

Case report: A successful clinical experience of transplantation of liver and kidney from a donor with myelodysplastic syndromes

With a shortage of organs for transplant, the use of marginal donors can be an effective measure to meet the shortfall. Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are considered an absolute contraindication for organ donation because of the high invasive potential. Currently, organ transplantation from donors with a past history of MDS has not been reported. In this paper, we report the successful clinical experience of one liver transplantation and two kidney transplantations, with organs donated by a 39-year-old patient diagnosed with a past history of MDS following intracranial hemorrhage. Four and a half years after transplantation, the three recipients are all doing well. However, it is still not clear to what extent organs donated by patients with a past history of MDS can be safely transplanted. This report provides support for the careful use of marginal donors. With effective treatment and full peer assessment, livers and kidneys from donors with a past history of MDS may be safely transplanted.

Outcomes in organ transplants from donors with melanoma: a systematic review

Melanoma transmitted through organ transplantation is an increasingly reported event. Immunosuppression increases the risk of melanoma; however, transmission of malignancy from transplanted organs is a distinct etiology of melanoma occurrence. The risk of transmission of melanoma from an organ donor with melanoma has yet to be determined. The authors aimed to investigate this phenomenon by reviewing the outcomes of patients that received organs from donors with melanoma. A systematic literature review was conducted with emphasis on identifying organ donors with known histories of melanoma and reported information regarding recipients of their organs. The databases PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, and JBI EBP were searched in January 2023. Search terms included "melanoma," terms for solid organs, "donor," "transplant," "transmission," and their variations as well as terms related to temporal relations. Inclusion criteria were articles that stated outcomes in organ recipients from donors that had a diagnosis of melanoma either pretransplant or postmortem. Reference lists of selected articles were hand searched for further studies. A total of 232 articles were identified from the search parameters. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 13 articles were selected. Hand searching the references of these articles yielded four additional articles. Of the 75 organ recipients that received organs from donors with known melanoma, 43 developed melanoma. While a definitive quantitative risk cannot be ascertained based on our review, the numerous reported cases of melanoma in organ recipients from donors that have melanoma should still be considered by clinicians.

[Breast cancer and organ transplantation: Systematic review and meta-analysis]

OBJECTIVES

Our main objective was to investigate donor-transmitted epithelial cancers of all origins in comparison with breast cancers, with analysis of the carcinological outcome of recipients. Our secondary objective was to define medical check-up to be performed before any organ procurement from a donor with a history of breast cancer.

METHODOLOGY

We performed a systematic review of the literature up to June 1st 2022 by including all original articles (including clinical cases) reporting cases of epithelial cancer transmitted from donor to recipient, followed by a meta-analysis of epidemiological and survival data.

RESULTS

In total, we included 52 articles (31 clinical cases and 21 cohort studies), representing 91,388 donors, 236,142 recipients, and 2591 cases of transmitted cancer. The risk of transmitted cancer was significantly higher with a history of breast cancer compared with a history of other cancer (RR=9.48 P=0.0025). In clinical cases, the pre-donation check-up was specified in only 33.3% of publications. The time between transplantation and cancer occurrence was longer in cases of breast cancer transmission compared to other epithelial cancers: 1435.8 days versus 297.6 (P<0.001).

CONCLUSION

Organ donation from a person previously treated for breast cancer or having a risk of occult breast cancer is possible in some situations but requires an adapted pre-donation assessment, the respect of good practice guidelines and an expert opinion in complex situations.

Prevention and Management of Donor-transmitted Cancer After Liver Transplantation: Guidelines From the ILTS-SETH Consensus Conference

As with any other intervention in health, liver transplantation (LT) entails a variety of risks, including donor-transmitted cancers (DTCs). At present, 2%-4% of used deceased organ donors are known to have a current or past history of malignancy. The frequency of DTCs is consistently reported at 3-6 cases per 10 000 solid organ transplants, with a similar frequency in the LT setting. A majority of DTCs are occult cancers unknown in the donor at the time of transplantation. Most DTCs are diagnosed within 2 y after LT and are associated with a 51% probability of survival at 2 y following diagnosis. The probability of death is greatest for DTCs that have already metastasized at the time of diagnosis. The International Liver Transplantation Society-Sociedad Española de Trasplante Hepático working group on DTC has provided guidance on how to minimize the occurrence of DTCs while avoiding the unnecessary loss of livers for transplantation both in deceased and living donor LT. The group endorses the Council of Europe classification of risk of transmission of cancer from donor to recipient (minimal, low to intermediate, high, and unacceptable), classifies a range of malignancies in the liver donor into these 4 categories, and recommends when to consider LT, mindful of the risk of DTCs, and the clinical condition of patients on the waiting list. We further provide recommendations to professionals who identify DTC events, stressing the need to immediately alert all stakeholders concerned, so a coordinated investigation and management can be initiated; decisions on retransplantation should be made on a case-by-case basis with a multidisciplinary approach.

Transplanting kidneys from donors with small renal masses - a strategy to expand the donor pool

INTRODUCTION

Renal transplantation is the optimal treatment for end-stage renal disease, but organ demand continues to outstrip supply. The transplantation of kidneys from donors with small renal masses (SRMs) represents a potential avenue to expand the donor pool. We reviewed all published cases of transplants from donors with SRMs and we present followup data, best practices, and outline an actionable series of steps to guide the implementation of such transplants at individual centers.

METHODS

A detailed literature search of the MEDLINE/PubMed and SCOPUS databases was performed. Thirty unique data sets met inclusion criteria and described the transplantation of tumor-ectomized kidneys; nine data sets described the transplantation of contralateral kidneys from donors with SRMs.

RESULTS

A total of 147 tumorectomized kidneys have been transplanted. Pathology revealed 120 to be renal cell carcinomas (RCCs), of which 116 were stage T1a (0.3-4 cm). The mean followup time was 44.2 months (1-200). A single suspected tumor recurrence occurred in one patient nine years post-transplantation and it was managed with active surveillance. Twenty-seven kidneys have been transplanted from deceased donors with contralateral renal masses. Pathology revealed 25 to be RCCs, of which 19 were confirmed to be stage T1 (<7 cm). The mean followup time was 46.7 months (0.5-155). One recipient developed an RCC and underwent curative allograft nephrectomy.

CONCLUSIONS

Careful use of kidneys from donors with SRMs is feasible and safe, with an overall recurrence rate of less than 1.5%. The use of such kidneys could help alleviate the organ shortage crisis.

Solid Organ Transplantation in Patients With a History of Lymphoma

There is an increasing number of long-term survivors of Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. These people may have a need for subsequent solid organ transplantation, often as a result of late effects of their lymphoma treatment. There is abundant literature demonstrating that patients with a history of lymphoma are appropriate candidates for solid organ transplantation. Long-term survival without relapse and with a functioning graft is possible. Patients with a history of post-transplantation lymphoproliferative disorders and patients who have received a prior hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation may also be candidates. Although high-level supporting evidence is not available, most guidelines recommend a waiting period of 2 to 5 years after lymphoma treatment before patients undergo solid organ transplantation. Each patient with a history of lymphoma requires a multidisciplinary approach and should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis before consideration of solid organ transplantation.

[Recommendations for the organ donation from patients with brain or medullary primitive tumors on behalf of the Association of the Neuro-oncologists of French Expression (ANOCEF) and the Club of Neuro-oncology of the French Society of Neurosurgery]

Requests of organs to be transplanted increase. As a matter of urgency, it is not always easy to decide if a patient carrier of a brain tumor can be candidate in the donation. After a review of the literature, the members of the Association of the Neuro-oncologists of French Expression (ANOCEF) and the Club of Neuro-oncology of the French Society of Neurosurgery propose consensual recommendations in case of donor carrier of primitive tumor intra-cranial or intra-medullary. A contact with the neuro-oncologist/neurosurgeon will allow to discuss the indication in case of glioma of grade I/II/III, according to the grade, the current status (absence of progressive disease), the number of surgeries and of lines of treatment. The taking is disadvised in case of glioma of grade IV (glioblastoma), of lymphoma or meningioma of grade III. No contraindication for the meningiomas of grade I, and individual discussion for the meningiomas of grade II. It is advisable to remain careful in case of hemangiopericytoma and of meningeal solitary fibrous tumor. The patients in first complete remission of a medulloblastoma or intra-cranial primitive germinoma seem good candidates for the taking of organ if the follow-up is of at least 10 years (3 years for non germinomas). In every case, a multidisciplinary discussion is desirable when it is materially possible.