Quadruple Metachronous Primary Malignant Neoplasm in the Head and Neck and Digestive Tract / 대한내과학회지

ABSTRACT

Multiple primary cancers, i.e., the occurrence of multiple malignant neoplasms in a single patient, were first reported by Billorth in 1889. The incidence is low but increasing gradually due to developments in cancer diagnosis, early detection, and prolongation of life. In Korea, double primary cancers are occasionally reported. However, the simultaneous presence of four primary cancers in a single patient is rare. Recently, we experienced the case of a 68-year-old male diagnosed with quadruple primary cancers involving the esophagus, tonsils, liver and buccal mucosa. Here, we report this very rare case of four metachronous primary neoplasms and provide a brief review of the related literature.