Second primary malignant neoplasms: a clinicopathological analysis from a cancer centre in India

Patients diagnosed with a cancer have a life time risk of developing another de novo malignancy depending on various inherited, environmental and iatrogenic risk factors. Of late the detection of new primary has increased mainly due to refinement in both diagnostic and treatment modalities. Cancer victims are surviving longer and thus are more likely to develop a new metachronous malignancy.

To report our observed trend of increase in prevalence of both synchronous and metachronous second malignant neoplasms among cancer victims and to review the relevant literature.

A hospital based retrospective collection of prospective data of patients diagnosed with second denovo malignancy.

The study was conducted over a 5 year period from July 2008 to June 2012. All patients diagnosed with a histologically proven second malignancy as per Warren Gate's criteria were included. Various details regarding sex, age at presentation, synchronous or metachronous, treatment and outcome were recorded.

The occurrence of multiple primary malignancies is not rare. Awareness of the possibility alerts the clinician in evaluation of patients with a known malignancy presenting with unusual sites of metastasis. Individualizing the treatment according to the stages of the primaries will result in durable cancer control particularly in synchronous double malignancy.