Heart transplantation in patients with localized prostate cancer-Are we denying a life-saving therapy due to an indolent tumor?

BACKGROUND

Prostate cancer (PC) is the most common non-cutaneous cancer in men. Approximately 90% of these cancers are localized (LPC) with a cancer-specific survival rate of 99% at 10 years. Some heart transplant centers (HTCs) regard PC as an absolute contraindication to heart transplantation (HT). This study aims to understand the current status of HT in patients with advanced heart failure (AHF) and concurrent LPC in the United States.

METHODS

Adult HTCs in the United States were asked to fill out an email questionnaire addressing their current approach to HT in AHF patients with concurrent LPC.

RESULTS

Fifty of the 90 HTCs that received the questionnaire responded. Only 16% of HTCs had a formal policy regarding HT in patients with LPC, while only 10% had patients with LPC on the HT waitlist at the time of the survey. Overall, 84% of the HTCs had never performed HT in a patient with LPC in the history of their transplant program.

CONCLUSION

An overwhelming majority of HTCs in the United States do not consider HT an option for AHF patients with concurrent LPC and lack a formal policy regarding the same.