Incidental malignancy in cadaver donor: What is the real impact?

Abstract

Worldwide organ shortage is one of the most common hurdles while treating patients with end-stage liver disease, especially in countries where there is lack of interest in organ donation. Apart from this, cost of this remedy is one reason, which makes this treatment distant dream for many. In such a situation, to lose even a single donor becomes too costly, cost of which is life of some other patients. Extended criteria for liver donation are already in use, though in some situations clinicians feel like trapped between providing best care and managing organ demands. One of such tricky situations is incidentally found malignancy in donor. Recently, we came across such situation during the harvest of liver from a cadaver donor, which made us go through the literature and find the answer. Here, in this review, we share that experience and try to throw light on this enigmatic issue with special focus on incidentally found malignancies in cadaver donor.