The Italian multiorgan donor cancer screening protocol: 2002-2005 experience.
BACKGROUND
We describe the results of the application of the Italian donor cancer screening protocol to all the 7608 candidate multiorgan donors presented in Italy in 2002-2005.


METHODS
All suspect findings raised in the two presurgical and surgical phases of the protocol were investigated by extemporary pathologic evaluation. Donors were classified as standard risk (no transmissible risk); nonstandard risk (low-risk of transmission, eligibility restricted to certified clinical emergencies pending informed consent); and unacceptable risk (unconditional exclusion because of high-risk pathologies).


RESULTS
The protocol was successfully implemented for all 7608 candidates. In addition to 8 (0.1%) independent exclusions, clinical suspicion of cancer was raised for 337 (4.6%) donors. According to pathological examination 198 donors (2.6%) were judged at unacceptable risk of tumor transmission; 80 (1%) were included in the "standard risk". Used standard risk and nonstandard risk donors provided a total of 241 organs in 231 recipients. Although no suspect was raised after implementation of the protocol, a malignant tumor was discovered after organ transplantation in 14 (0.2%) donors. All the recipients transplanted with organs from ascertained nonstandard risk donors or from neoplastic donors who donated by accident have been carefully followed. At the time of most recent follow-up no donor/recipient tumor transmission has been reported.


CONCLUSIONS
Implementation of the multiorgan cancer screening protocol is feasible at a national level in Italy. In view of the increasing demand for organs our protocol provides a useful tool for rationalization of the use of organs from neoplastic marginal donors.
Zucchini
Nicola
N
Anatomic Pathology Unit, F. Addarii Institute of Oncology, S. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, Bologna University, Bologna, Italy.
Fiorentino
Michelangelo
M
D'Errico Grigioni
Antonia
A
Rizzato
Lucia
L
Venettoni
Sante
S
Nanni Costa
Alessandro
A
Grigioni
Walter F
WF
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018579:Patient Selection; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014019:Tissue Donors