A Retrospective Study on Second Primary Malignancies Incidence in Regional Cancer Institute

Abstract

BACKGROUND:The cancer patients have a life time risk from developing another de novo malignancy, depending on various risk factors like inherited, iatrogenic, infective, and environmental. The malignancy patients could survive longer due to settling treatment modalities, and then likely develop a new metachronous malignancy. The purpose of this study was to investigate clinically useful information for effective screening for synchronous and metachronous second primary cancers and to identify a potential surveillance protocol. METHODS: The study has conducted over a 5 years period from 2008 to 2013. A hospital based retrospective gathering of data among the patients that have diagnosed with second malignancy. All patients that have diagnosed with a histological (HPE) second cancer as per warren and gates criteria have included. Various details like age, sex, site, stage, diagnosis of tumor, and synchronous or metachronous of tumor treatment have recorded. RESULTS: Out of 52 cases 10(19.23%) were synchronous and 42(80.7%) were metachronous. 35 (67.30%) were females and 17(32.69%) were males. the most common site of primary tumor was head and neck (16 cases 30.76%) followed by breast cancers (11 case 21.15%), among the second cancer most common site was gynecological caner (12 cases 23.07%) and gastrointestinal tract (11 cases 21.15%) as for as the primary cancer is concerned 34 patients (65.38%) were diagnosed in advanced stages (stage III and IV). The stage of the second tumors was also advanced 32 cases (61.53%) being in stage III, IV. Squamous cell carcinoma represented the most frequent histo pathological type in primary cancer 28 cases (53.84%) and also in the second tumor. 19 cases (36.53%). CONCLUSION: The incidence of double primary malignancy is not very rare, could occur synchronously or metachronously. After the recent0 diagnostic and staging modalities as well as progress in the management of common cancer, the detection of second primary malignancy has increased. Each patient must be informed about the risk of developing secondary malignancies after the first treatment and about the importance of reporting any new symptom which might occur. Careful monitoring ensures an early detection for secondary tumors, and, subsequently, an appropriate management.