INCREASED RISK OF 2ND PRIMARY MALIGNANCIES IN PATIENTS WITH GYNECOLOGICAL CANCER - A SWEDISH RECORD-LINKAGE STUDY

The Stockholm-Gotland Cancer Register was used to study the risk of de veloping second primary malignancies (SPM) in women diagnosed with can cer of the uterine cervix, uterine corpus and ovaries during the perio d 1958-1992, Among 5325 patients with uterine cervix cancer, 619 devel oped SPM, Standardized incidence ratio (SIR) was 1.29 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.19-1.39), Significantly increased risks were observed for cancer of the colon, rectum, lung, vulva, kidney and bladder, A to tal of 4 815 women with uterine corpus cancer were followed and 660 SP M were found, The overall SIR was 1.21 (95% CI 1.12-1.30) with signifi cantly increased risk for cancer of the colon, ovary, vulva and bladde r, The incidence of leukemia was also significantly elevated (SIR = 3. 03; 95% CI 1.70-5.00). Among 5060 patients with ovarian cancer, 379 SP M were found (SIR 1.49; 95% CI 1.34-1.64). Increased risks of cancer o f the colon, rectum, breast, uterine corpus, bladder and leukemia were observed, AU three primary sites showed elevated risks of cancer of t he colon and bladder, For patients with a primary cancer of the corpus and ovary an elevated risk of leukemia was also noted, The conclusion from these findings is that SPM to some extent can be explained by pr eviously known factors, i.e. treatment and common risk factors, Howeve r, further studies concerning the role of common etiology, for instanc e hereditary and hormonal factors, are needed to increase the knowledg e on the etiology of second primary malignancies.