[Multiple primary malignant tumors of the larynx and lung]

The association of laryngeal and pulmonary neoplasms is one of the most frequent among multiple primary malignant tumors and represents an important problem in terms of prevention and diagnosis. The present study involves 22 cases of associated tumors observed from January 1st 1977 and December 31st 1992. All the patients involved were male, average age 62 years, who had been treated for laryngeal cancers, mostly laryngeal epidermoid carcinoma. Pulmonary cancers (simultaneous, synchronous, metachronous) were diagnosed in all these subjects and one patient presented 2 autonomous bronchial lesions which arose in different periods. Five patients out of 22 (23%) are still alive and with no evidence of disease (NED), 2 more patients are alive although not disease-free. After reporting some considerations regarding the neoplastic association involving the larynx and the lung as well as the increased risk of pulmonary neoplasm in those patients treated for supraglottic lesions, the authors emphasize the importance of personal and family history for cancer and suggest a classification of the risk to develop a second malignancy in these patients.