Stomach Cancer Secondary to Hematologic Diseases

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Patients with hematologic diseases such as chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) or chronic lymphoid leukemia (CLL) are known to have an increased chance of acquiring a secondary neoplasm. Stomach cancer is one of the most common malignant diseases in Korea, and we investigated whether the incidence of secondary stomach cancer in patients with a hematologic disease increases, in order to determine if a more intensive screening program for detecting secondary gastric cancer was required. We also investigated the safety of performing a gastrectomy in hematologic disease patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 1992 to 2006, the medical records of 8376 patients diagnosed with one of the six common hematologic diseases were reviewed. RESULTS: Nine secondary stomach cancers were found among the 8376 patients during the 15-year observation period. No surgical-related complications occurred, and there was no recurrence of stomach cancer if detected early. CONCLUSION: It seems that a more intensive screening program for detecting secondary gastric cancer in hematologic disease patients is not required, and surgery is not risky in these patients.