Enucleation of renal cell carcinoma in an allograft kidney 21 years after transplantation

Editorial Comment: This long-term followup study demonstrated that 85% of living kidney donors were alive 20 years after nephrectomy, compared to an expected survival rate of 66%. There was no increased incidence of hypertension, proteinuria or progressive renal dysfunction among kidney donors. The significant finding in this study is not that kidney donation extends longevity, which is unlikely, but rather that there is no evidence of impaired longevity following kidney donation. Related and selected unrelated living donors represent an important source of organs for renal transplantation, and available data show no increased risk of long-term problems for these donors. Andrew C. Novick, M.D.