Primary kidney tumors before and after renal transplantation

Three groups of patients were reviewed. Primary carcinomas were found in donors kidneys of 47 recipients. In 30 instances a tumor was present at harvesting. When a neoplasm was removed immediately pretransplantation or early posttransplantation there were no recurrences in 14 recipients. In another two instances, a tumor was not removed or was incompletely excised pretransplantation and both recipients died of metastases. Fourteen other patients received kidneys from donors in whom the opposite kidney had a malignancy. Thirteen remained tumor-free and one had allograft nephrectomy for rejection 3 months posttransplantation when a carcinoma was found. In 17 recipients an allograft neoplasm was not recognized at harvesting. In 9 it was discovered at graft nephrectomy an average of 3 months posttransplantation. In a tenth patient a hypoechogenic area, found on routine posttransplant ultrasonography, progressively increased in size and proved to be malignant. Another 7 patients developed metastases from renal carcinomas an average of 12 months posttransplantation. Preexisting carcinomas were found in 350 recipients. Seventy-one patients with incidentally discovered tumors had no recurrences no matter when nephrectomy was performed in relationship to transplantation. Of 279 patients with symptomatic renal tumors, 70 (25%) had recurrences, 63% of which occurred in patients treated