Why Donor-Derived Cancer Happens—and Its Implications
Why does screening sometimes fail? Advances in imaging and testing are impressive—but not infallible. The donor in this case showed no signs of cancer in life, yet an aggressive lung cancer had already metastasized by the time of death and organ procurement.
Unavoidable risks in desperate times. When lives hang in the balance, expanding the donor pool is often necessary. Some donors may have past malignancies safely in remission; however, lung cancer is widely considered an unacceptable risk, because of its high likelihood to spread via transplanted tissues.
Transparency and informed consent. Even though such risks are rare, complete openness empowers recipients to make decisions aligned with their values and risk tolerance.
