Multiple Primary Malignancies - A Retrospective Analysis ata Single Center in Turkey

Background: A literature review on 1,104,269 cancer patients concluded that the prevalence of multipleprimary malignancies (MPM) is between 0.73% and 11.7%. MPMs seem to have higher incidence than thatinfluenced by hazard only. The purpose of this study was to investigate clinically useful information for effectivescreening for synchronous and metachronous second primary cancers and to identify a potential surveillanceprotocol. Materials and
Methods: Using statistical and epidemiological indicators we evaluated the patientswith MPMs (double locations) admitted to Dr. Abdurrahman Yurtarslan Ankara Oncology Education andResearch Hospital between 1981 and 2010.
Results: Out of the 130 cases, 24 (18.4%) were synchronous while106 cases (81.6%) were metachronous tumours. Mean interval time from first to second primary cancers was4.65 years (0-27 years). The most frequent malignant associations were breast-breast, breast-endometriumand breast-ovary. Both primary and secondary tumors tended to be in an advanced stage explained by the lowcompliance of the patients to follow-up.
Conclusions: The possibility that MPMs exist must always be consideredduring pretreatment evaluation. Screening procedures are especially useful for the early detection of associatedtumors, whereas careful monitoring of patients treated for primary cancer and a good communication betweenpatients and medical care teams should ensure early detection of secondary tumors, and subsequent appropriatemanagement.