Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 22, 2025
Orthotopic Transplantation of Breast Tumors as Preclinical Models for Breast Cancer
Published on: May 18, 2020
[Breast cancer and organ transplantation: Systematic review and meta-analysis]
M Lapointe1, F Kerbaul2, F Meckert2
1CHRU, 1, avenue Molière, 67200 Strasbourg, France.
Objectives:
Our main objective was to investigate donor-transmitted epithelial cancers of all origins in comparison with breast cancers, with analysis of the carcinological outcome of recipients. Our secondary objective was to define medical check-up to be performed before any organ procurement from a donor with a history of breast cancer.
Methodology:
We performed a systematic review of the literature up to June 1st 2022 by including all original articles (including clinical cases) reporting cases of epithelial cancer transmitted from donor to recipient, followed by a meta-analysis of epidemiological and survival data.
Results:
In total, we included 52 articles (31 clinical cases and 21 cohort studies), representing 91,388 donors, 236,142 recipients, and 2591 cases of transmitted cancer. The risk of transmitted cancer was significantly higher with a history of breast cancer compared with a history of other cancer (RR=9.48 P=0.0025). In clinical cases, the pre-donation check-up was specified in only 33.3% of publications. The time between transplantation and cancer occurrence was longer in cases of breast cancer transmission compared to other epithelial cancers: 1435.8 days versus 297.6 (P<0.001).
Conclusion:
Organ donation from a person previously treated for breast cancer or having a risk of occult breast cancer is possible in some situations but requires an adapted pre-donation assessment, the respect of good practice guidelines and an expert opinion in complex situations.
