DOI: 10.1097/TP.0b013e31816a105b

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PMID: 18408569

Issn Print: 0041-1337

Publication Date: 2008/04/15


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Transplant Recipient's Knowledge of Posttransplant Malignancy Risk: Implications for Educational Programs

H Myron Kauffman; E Steve Woodle; Edward H. Cole; Catherine Paykin

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Author Information: Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network, United Network for Organ Sharing, Richmond, VA.

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Excerpt

Transplant patients are at increased risk for certain types of malignancies (1–14). Malignancy is one of the top causes of posttransplant mortality, particularly among liver and heart recipients 5 to 10 years posttransplantation (15, 16).
There are a number of specific steps that patients can take to minimize their malignancy risk, but this requires that patients be aware of prevention methods.
Anecdotal evidence has suggested that at least some patients are not taking all the necessary prevention steps and are not fully aware of the malignancy risks and prevention methods (17, 18). In addition, information regarding malignancy risk may not be retained.
Systematic in-depth research on the extent of transplant patient awareness of malignancy risk, prevention methods and warning signs had not previously been conducted. Accurate assessment required patients feel comfortable enough to reveal any gaps in their knowledge. We therefore designed a self-administered survey that gave patients the opportunity to anonymously tell us: (1) how much they knew about malignancy and its prevention, (2) the sources of information, (3) when patients received the information, and (4) their preferences for learning about malignancy and its prevention.

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