Multiple primary malignancies: An epidemiological and pedigree analysis of57 patients with at least three tumours

Aim and Methods: Data of our patients with at least three primary malignanc ies were retrospectively analysed to detect any remarkable patterns which m ight be of interest for follow-up or early tumour detection and to identify a possible hereditary cancer predisposition. From 1.1.1954 to 1.8.1995 57 patients (0.1%) among a grand total of 52 398 cancer patients had a minimum of three malignancies. Results: The 5-year survival rates after colorectal, bladder, prostate, ute rine corpus and gastric cancer were higher than those seen in patients with the corresponding solitary tumours. In both sexes, the mean interval betwe en the individual tumours was greater (4.0 years) between the first and sec ond tumours than between the second and third (2.5 years). In women, the in tervals were roughly twice as long (6.8 and 3.7 years) as in men (3.7 and 2 .0 years). 40.4% (n=23/57) had a colorectal, 28.1% (n = 16) a bladder, and 41.7% (n= 15/36 men) had a prostate carcinoma. 66.7% (n = 14/21 women) cont racted at least one gynaecological tumour. In 24 families HNPCC, in one a L i-Fraumeni Syndrome, and in another Hereditary Diffuse Gastric Cancer was s uspected. (C) 2001 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.