Clinical analysis of multiple primary cancers

Abstract

19639 Background: Multiple primary cancers are defined as two or more abnormal growths of tissue occurring simultaneously or abnormal growths of tissues that follow a previous neoplasm but are not metastases of the latter in the same individual. The primary objective of this study was to determine the occurrence, clinical characteristics and prognosis of multiple primary cancers in single institution, respectively. Methods: Between January 1995 and June 2006, patients with multiple primary cancers were selected from a review of patients who had been treated and followed-up in our Ewha Womans University Hospital. Demographic data were obtained from medical records. Results: Two hundred seven patients were selected and patients with multiple primary cancers constituted 1.95% of all malignancies. Male to female ratio was 1.84. (male 134 vs. female 73 patients) The median age first cancer diagnosis was 67 years old in male, 57 in female. The incidence of synchronous cancers is higher than metachronous. (108 vs. 99) and the median time to additional cancers in metachronous group was 35 months. The most frequent cancers was gastrointestinal cancers in both sex synchronously and metachronously. In male, colorectal cancer followed by gastric cancer methchronously (9.1%), genitourinary cancer with another genitourinary cancer synchronously (12.7%) were frequently observed. In female, breast cancer followed by colorectal cancer metachronously (6.8%), gastric cancer with colorectal cancer (6.9%) were frequently observed. The median survival duration was 14.4 months totally from the index diagnosis and synchronous cancers showed lower survival duration than metachronous cancers. (7.4 vs. 26.1 months, p=0.017) Conclusions: Adequate investigations including G-I tract should focus in the first 3 years after initial diagnosis to detect second primary cancers earlier. No significant financial relationships to disclose.