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Updated: Jan 27, 2026

Robot-Assisted Kidney Transplantation
Published on: July 19, 2021
Multiple myeloma derived from a kidney transplant donor who also developed myeloma after kidney donation
Shin-Ichiro Fujiwara1, Takashi Ikeda1, Kaoru Morita1
1Division of Hematology, Jichi Medical University, Shimotuke, Japan.
Abstract:
Patients who undergo kidney transplantation are at increased risk of cancer due to the long-term use of immunosuppressive treatment. Postrenal transplant cancers usually originate from recipient cells, but donor-related cancers have been rarely reported. We report the case of 49-year-old woman who developed multiple myeloma of donor origin 7 years after kidney transplantation. The donor was the mother of the recipient and also developed multiple myeloma 1 year after kidney donation. The diagnosis of multiple myeloma was based on IgG lambda monoclonal protein and the infiltration of plasma cells in bone marrow. The renal biopsy did not reveal plasmacytoma in the transplanted kidney. Epstein-Barr virus DNA load was negative in peripheral blood. The patient responded to lenalidomide and dexamethasone, and subsequently received autologous stem cell transplantation. Donor chimerism was detected in the recipient marrow by short tandem repeat analysis; however, studies of Ig gene rearrangement were inconclusive due to insufficient DNA quality. The chromosomal abnormalities in the two myelomas were different. This case suggests that donor cells with myeloma-initiating potential can be transferred to a recipient via a renal graft and can lead to the development of donor-derived multiple myeloma in the recipient under immunosuppression.
Insights
A rare case of donor-derived multiple myeloma occurred in a kidney transplant recipient 7 years post-transplant. This highlights the potential risk of transmitting cancer-initiating cells through organ donation, even with immunosuppression.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Transplantation Immunology
- Genetics
Background:
- Kidney transplant recipients face increased cancer risk due to long-term immunosuppression.
- Post-transplant cancers typically arise from recipient cells; donor-origin cancers are exceptionally rare.
Observation:
- A 49-year-old woman developed multiple myeloma 7 years after a kidney transplant.
- The donor, her mother, was diagnosed with multiple myeloma 1 year after donation.
- The recipient's myeloma was characterized by IgG lambda monoclonal protein and bone marrow plasma cell infiltration.
Findings:
- Donor chimerism was confirmed in the recipient's marrow.
- Despite different chromosomal abnormalities, the case suggests myeloma-initiating cells were transferred via the kidney graft.
- Epstein-Barr virus DNA load was negative, ruling out viral association.
Implications:
- This case underscores the rare but significant risk of donor-derived malignancies following organ transplantation.
- It emphasizes the need for vigilance and further research into donor screening and transmission of oncogenic potential.
- Immunosuppression may facilitate the development of donor-derived cancers in recipients.
Related Concept Videos
Kidney Transplant I: Introduction
Kidney Structure
Kidney Transplant II: Surgical Procedure
Kidney Transplant III: Nursing Management
External Anatomy of the Kidney
The kidneys are located in the retroperitoneal space on either side of the vertebral column, protected posteriorly by the 11th and 12th ribs. The right kidney sits slightly lower than the left owing to the presence of the liver...
Internal Anatomy of the Kidney
Anatomical Position and Dimensions
The kidneys are retroperitoneal organs positioned against the posterior abdominal wall on either side of the spine, roughly between the twelfth thoracic and third lumbar vertebrae. Each kidney is typically 10-12 cm long, 5-6 cm wide, and 3-4 cm thick, weighing about 150 grams.
Renal Cortex
The outermost region of the kidney is the...

