Analysis of "time to second primary" in patients with gynecological cancers

Lifetable survival curves have been adapted to measure "time to second primary" and used to compare incidence of second primary in all patients in the Alberta Cancer Registry with a primary malignancy in cervix, endometrium and ovary. Comparisons were also obtained within each diagnostic category between patients treated or not treated with radiation. Results show that there are no statistically significant differences in the 25 years following diagnosis of the first primary in "time to second primaries" in patients with cancer of the cervix, endometrium or ovary. Similarly, within each diagnostic category, there are no differences between radiation treated patients and those not treated by radiation, when adjustments for age differences are made and when patients are selected by length of survival.