BACKGROUND: The inherent challenges of selecting an acceptable donor for the increasing number and acuity of recipients has forced programs to take increased risks, including accepting donors with a cancer history (DWCH). Outcomes of organ transplantation using organs from DWCH must be clarified. We assessed transplant outcomes of recipients of organs from DWCH.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective analysis of the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients data from January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2014 identified 8385 cases of transplants from DWCH. A Cox-proportional hazard regression model and log-rank test were used to compare patient survival and hazard levels of various cancer types.

RESULTS: DWCH was an independent risk factor of 5-year patient survival (HR=1.089, 95% CI: 1.009–1.176, P=0.03) and graft survival (HR=1.129, 95% CI: 1.056–1.208, P<0.01) in liver and heart transplantation (patient survival: HR=1.112, 95% CI: 1.057–1.170, P<0.01; graft survival: HR=1.244, 95% CI: 1.052–1.472, P=0.01). There was no remarkable difference between the 2 groups in kidney and lung transplantation. Donors with genitourinary and gastrointestinal cancers were associated with inferior outcomes in kidney transplantation. Transplantation from donors with central nervous system cancer resulted in poorer survival in liver transplant recipients. Recipients of organs from donors with hematologic malignancy and otorhinolaryngologic cancer had poorer survival following heart transplantation.

CONCLUSIONS: Under the current donor selection criteria, recipients of organs from DWCH had inferior outcomes in liver and heart transplantation, whereas organs from DWCH were safely applied in kidney and lung transplantation. Specific cancer types should be cautiously evaluated before performing certain types of organ transplantation.

Keywords: Organ Transplantation, Tissue Donors