Why are people with active cancer often not candidates for kidney transplantation?

Individuals with active cancer are generally not considered candidates for a kidney transplant primarily because of the necessity of immunosuppressive drugs following the surgery.1

To prevent the body from rejecting a new organ, transplant recipients must take powerful medications that inhibit the immune system. Because a healthy immune system plays a critical role in identifying and containing malignant cells, these immunosuppressive agents can inadvertently suppress the body's ability to control or fight existing cancer. Consequently, the use of these drugs in a patient with active cancer could lead to the progression or spread of the disease.12

Ensuring patient safety is the fundamental ethical priority in transplant surgery; therefore, physicians must carefully evaluate the risks of immunosuppression against the potential benefits of the procedure.13