Melanoma transferred by liver transplantation: a case study

Czech version

Authors: T. Háková; P. Taimr
Authors‘ workplace: Klinika hepatogastroenterologie, Institut klinické a experimentální medicíny, Praha
Published in: Gastroent Hepatol 2025; 79(6): 488-493
Category: Hepatology
doi: https://doi.org/10.48095/ccgh2025488

Overview

Liver transplantation is a complex treatment primarily for patients with acute and chronic liver failure and liver tumors. However, transplantation carries health risks, including the rare potential transmission of an undiagnosed cancerous tumor from the donor. Organ donors are routinely tested for infectious diseases and attention is also paid to tumor screening, because organ recipients are at risk of rapid growth and aggressive spread of malignancy due to the immunosuppressive regimen they receive to prevent rejection of the transplanted organ. This study examines a potential case of malignant melanoma being transmitted from the donor to the recipient after a liver transplant. The donor was a 58-year-old man with multiple health issues and an unknown family history of cancer or smoking habits. It wasn‘t until 20 days after his organs were collected that he was diagnosed with metastatic malignant melanoma in the paratracheal node. The recipient was a 56-year-old patient with cirrhosis from a combination of alcohol abuse and hepatitis B. The recipient was diagnosed with malignant melanoma 395 days after transplantation. Despite the lack of genetic testing, the cancer was likely transferred from the donor rather than being a de novo occurrence. To prevent transmission of malignancies, thorough personal history, physical examination, and rational use of imaging and laboratory methods should be part of the screening process for organ donors without unnecessarily prolonging the waiting time for transplantation.

Keywords:

liver transplantation – melanoma – malignant tumors – immunosuppression – transmission of malignancy

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