Multiple primary carcinomas of the head, neck, and lung

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Review of 8,956 patients treated for primary lung, head and neck, or both malignancies.
• Focus on 85 patients with both bronchogenic carcinoma and head and neck malignancies.

Observation:

• Head and neck malignancy preceded lung cancer in 70 patients.
• Lung cancer preceded head and neck malignancy in 8 patients.
• Synchronous occurrence in 7 patients.

Findings:

• Strong association identified between heavy cigarette smoking, alcoholism, and multicentric respiratory tract malignancies.
• Analysis of pathology, social history, time intervals, treatment, and survival.

Implications:

• Aggressive treatment of each lesion as a separate primary malignancy is supported.
• Highlights the multifactorial nature of respiratory tract cancers.