Second Primary Malignancies in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer / 대한이비인후과학회지

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: A clinical study of second primary malignancies in patients with cancer of the head and neck was performed. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: Among 1741 patients with head and neck cancer, 91patients were diagnosed as second primary malignancies. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records about site, chronology, and survival. RESULTS: There was association between the sites of index and second primary malignancy. This was explained by the concept of field cancerization. Three year-survival rate was 28.6%, and second primary malignancies in the advanced stages had poor survival. However, the chronological variable was not significant. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of second primary malignancies in patients with head and neck cancer was of 5.2%. Most of them were located in the upper aerodigestive tract. Frequent and regular follow-up is important for early detection of second primary malignancies.