The role of radiotherapy in patients with solid tumours after solid organ transplantation: a systematic review

Abstract

For patients diagnosed with cancer who have previously received an organ transplant, radiotherapy represents a challenging clinical scenario without well established care algorithms. Immunosuppressive therapy can be a cause for concern among clinicians treating this category of patients. Potential immune modulation following irradiation could affect recipient organ tolerance and the outcomes of the transplantation itself. The main aim of this systematic review was to define the safety and effectiveness of radiotherapy in patients diagnosed with cancer who have previously received an organ transplant. We searched PubMed and Embase for articles published between Jan 1, 1995, and April 30, 2020 for studies in patients who had undergone radiotherapy for post-transplantation malignancies. The Review is framed by the PICO (population, intervention, control, and outcomes) criteria, and primarily focuses on modern treatment techniques.