Immediate renal transplantation after radical prostatectomy for low-risk prostate cancer.

INTRODUCTION: For most cancers, a two- to five-yr period with no evidence of disease must be demonstrated before organ transplantation. The natural history of prostate cancer is unique both because of extensive pre-treatment screening and the ease of post-treatment monitoring for recurrence. Using available predictive models for prostate cancer recurrence, we examine whether current evidence supports a prolonged waiting period after radical prostatectomy and before renal transplantation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A MedLine search was conducted to identify five series (published between 2000 and 2011), which examined biochemical recurrence (BCR) after prostatectomy for low-risk prostate cancer. The likelihood of BCR at one, two, and five yr after radical prostatectomy was identified for each series. RESULTS: Each of the analyzed series demonstrated that the likelihood of BCR after radical prostatectomy for low-risk prostate cancer was identical at one, two, and five yr and did not exceed 5%. CONCLUSIONS: The likelihood of BCR does not increase during the first five yr after radical prostatectomy for low-risk prostate cancer. Additionally, the risk of recurrence approaches zero during this period. Therefore, current evidence does not support the mandated waiting period of five yr before organ transplantation.