Second Primary Malignant Neoplasms: A Clinicopathological Analysis from a Cancer Centre in India

Context: Patients diagnosed with a cancer have a life time risk of developing another de novo malignancydepending on various inherited, environmental and iatrogenic risk factors. Of late the detection of new primaryhas increased mainly due to refinement in both diagnostic and treatment modalities. Cancer victims are survivinglonger and thus are more likely to develop a new metachronous malignancy. Aims: To report our observed trendof increase in prevalence of both synchronous and metachronous second malignant neoplasms among cancervictims and to review the relevant literature. Settings and Design: A hospital based retrospective collection ofprospective data of patients diagnosed with second denovo malignancy. Materials and
Method: The study wasconducted over a 5 year period from July 2008 to June 2012. All patients diagnosed with a histologically provensecond malignancy as per Warren Gate’s criteria were included. Various details regarding sex, age at presentation,synchronous or metachronous, treatment and outcome were recorded.
Conclusions: The occurrence of multipleprimary malignancies is not rare. Awareness of the possibility alerts the clinician in evaluation of patients witha known malignancy presenting with unusual sites of metastasis. Individualizing the treatment according to thestages of the primaries will result in durable cancer control particularly in synchronous double malignancy.