The Rare Diagnosis of Synchronous Breast and Colonic Cancers: A Case Report and Review of Literature

Abstract

Any two or more primary malignant tumors, in which each tumor is not an extension, recurrence, or metastasis of the other lesion, are defined or described as multiple primary malignant neoplasms (MPMN). These tumors are increasingly diagnosed despite their rare occurrence rate. The term synchronous tumors is applied if two different tumors originating in the same patient are detected at the same time or within six months; if the second tumor is detected beyond six months, it is called metachronous. Aetiological factors that may predispose patients to MPMNs have been grouped into three broad categories: familial cancer syndromes and other genetic susceptibility factors, common exposures (e.g. tobacco), and carcinogenic effects of cancer treatment. The likelihood of missing asymptomatic synchronous tumors at the time of diagnosis is due to a lack of definitively set guidelines for synchronous tumors. Studying every individual case may aid us in understanding disease biology, developing diagnostic guidelines, and establishing patient-specific management strategies. We present a case report of synchronous breast and colonic cancer in a female patient.

Double versus Single Primary Malignant Neoplasm of Breast and Colorectal Cancer: A Case-Control Study

“…Breast cancer was found in 23% and colorectal cancer was found in 25.6% of female with multiple cancers [ 13 ]. Etiology of developing multiple cancers in the same individual could be explained by 1) familial cancer syndrome or genetic susceptibility 2) exposure to common pathogen such as alcohol and tobacco 3) effect of previous cancer treatment [ 14 ]. Other possibility is that the longer survival after the first cancer treatment leads to another probability of developing the second primary cancer [ 15 ].…”