[Multiple primary cancer of the gastro-intestinal tract]

Peculiarities of the clinical course of primary multiple malignant tumors of the gastrointestinal tract are discussed. Out of 25 cases of synchronous gastrointestinal malignancies, both stomach and large bowel tumors were found in 10 patients and simultaneous neoplasms in different segments of the large bowel--in 15. In the latter group, radical surgery was performed in 13 patients. Out of 54 cases of metachronous cancer, 28 revealed combinations of stomach and large bowel tumors, while in 26 cases metachronous tumors appeared in succession in different segments of the large bowel. Synchronous single and multiple polyps of the large bowel were detected in 19 out of 54 patients. Radical surgery was carried out in 33 and palliative surgery--in 6 patients.