Multiple primary malignant tumours in patients with head and neck cancer: the implications for follow-up.

The pattern of second primary cancer occurrence in 518 Scottish patients with head and neck cancer was determined by a retrospective study. The overall incidence of second cancers was 9% but the true incidence increased steadily in the years following initial diagnosis to reach a maximum of 21% at 11 years. After 4 years of follow-up patients were more likely to die from a second primary cancer than from the effects of the initial tumour. The Scottish cohort differed from previously reported, overseas, study groups in having a high incidence of second primary cancers in sites outside the upper aerodigestive tract. This potential demographic difference suggests a need for local audit prior to design and implementation of screening protocols for second primary cancers.     

下咽癌和喉癌的多重癌

对下咽，喉鳞癌患者的多重癌实况进行回顾性调查。方法 对１９８０年－１９９５年１６年间头颈部外科受诊者下咽癌１２５例，喉癌１８４例进行了分析，其中男２７６例，女３３例。结果３０９例患者中７９例发生多重癌。多重癌发生部位共１０１处，其中１７例三重癌，１例四重癌，的多重癌以食管癌和胃癌居多；喉癌，尤以声门型喉癌的多重癌以肺癌为主，声门上型喉癌的口咽，食管和胃多重癌的发生率较声门型喉癌为高。     

Multiple primary cancers of oral cavity and pharynx

Multiple primary cancers were found in 23 of 68 patients (34%) with an index cancer in the oral cavity or pharyngeal area treated in our institute from June 1995 to July 1998. Four cases had triple primary cancers. All 68 cases underwent upper and lower gastrointestinal endoscopy as well as ultrasonography of the liver. Lung CT was performed in cases with abnormal findings on chest roentgenograms. Multiple cancers were found in 5 of 25 oral cavity cases (20%), 6 of 14 mesopharynx cases (43%) and 12 of 29 hypopharynx cases (41%). Nine of 23 cases (39%) were synchronous and 14 (61%) were metachronous. Eighteen of 27 (69%) secondary cancers occurred in the upper aerodigestive tract with an especially high incidence (22%) in the esophagus. Gastroendoscopy also revealed 7 neoplastic lesions, aside from cancers, with the total abnormal rate of 24% (24/68). Thus, gastroendoscopy is useful for the diagnosis of multiple primary cancers. The frequency of multiple primary cancers in males (33%) was not different from that in females (35%). The average age of multiple primary cancer patients (65.1 years) was a little higher than that of single cancer patient (62.7 years). Smoking or drinking was not related to the incidence of multiple cancers. The interval between the first and the second cancer in metachronous cancer cases was 25.5 months on average, and within 4 years in 71% (10/14) of the cases. This result suggests that close follow-up including endoscopy should be required for at least 4 years after treatment of oral or pharyngeal cancer. Radical treatment for each of the multiple cancer lesions was performed in 22 of 23 cases, and the mortality rate of multiple primary cancer cases was not significantly different from that of single cancer cases. Among 7 cases who died of disease, 5 cases died of distant metastasis, suggesting that control of distant metastasis is an important issue in the treatment of multiple primary cancers.     

Second laryngeal cancers in previously treated larynges.

OBJECTIVES: To review the management and outcome of patients with new second primary cases of laryngeal cancer occurring more than 3 years after the initial cancer was treated. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective review of 855 patients with newly diagnosed and treated laryngeal cancers. METHODS: Charts were reviewed and tabulated for occurrence of second primary laryngeal tumors, method of treatment for the index and second primary laryngeal tumors, and effect of smoking status or cessation of smoking. RESULTS: Of the 855 patients, 532 patients retained their larynx; of these 377 lived more than 3 years and thus were at risk for a second new primary cancer. Of these 377 patients at risk, 19 or 5.1% developed second primary tumors. The rate of second primary disease was lower in patients whose index laryngeal cancer was treated by irradiation (4.3%) compared with those treated surgically (9.2%). However, surgical treatment of second primary laryngeal tumors resulted in far higher rates of laryngeal voicing (82%) compared with irradiation (33%). CONCLUSION: When possible, management of the index primary tumor by endoscopic resection has resulted in the highest future retention of laryngeal speech, leaving all treatment options available should a second laryngeal cancer occur. Lifelong follow-up of patients with laryngeal cancer for secondary primary tumors is important. Second primary tumors were equally distributed between patients who continued to smoke and ceased to smoke after their index primary lesion was diagnosed.     

Panendoscopy as a screening procedure for simultaneous primary tumors in head and neck cancer

Head and neck cancer is often associated with second primary neoplasms. These cancers most commonly involve other regions of the head and neck, esophagus, and lung. The majority of cases are also squamous cell carcinomas. In view of this rather frequent occurrence of multiple primary cancers and how they adversely affect the patient's survival, it becomes imperative to analyze how the clinician can intervene effectively. One such approach is to detect multiple primaries as early as possible. As such, panendoscopy as a part of the tumor-staging procedure has been advocated by many investigators to search for simultaneous second primary malignant neoplasms in patients presenting with head and neck cancer. In a 24-month period, data were gathered from 127 consecutive patients referred to University Hospital, Ghent with previously untreated, squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck. One hundred-eighteen patients underwent an endoscopic examination under general anesthesia, during which 4 simultaneous second primary tumors were found in 3 patients. This represents an incidence of 3.4% of simultaneous second primary neoplasms. The results for the different parts of the endoscopy are discussed and compared with literature findings. Guidelines are given for the initial evaluation of the head and neck cancer patient.     

‘When will I see you again?’ Using local recurrence data to develop a regimen for routine surveillance in post‐treatment head and neck cancer patients

Objective: To develop an evidence‐based regimen for routine surveillance of post‐treatment head and neck cancer patients. Design: Review of 10 years of prospectively collected patient data. Main outcome measures: Time of first presentation of ‘new cancer event’ (either first recurrence or second primary tumour). We did not evaluate whether or not the detected new cancer events were curable. Results: Data from patients with primary squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx, oropharynx and hypopharynx were analysed. A total of 676 previously undiagnosed squamous cell carcinomas were recorded in these regions. In these patients there were 105 recurrences and 20 second primary cancers were recorded; 95^th percentile of “time to a new cancer event” was calculated in years. These were for larynx 4.7 years, oropharynx 2.7 years, hypopharynx 2.3 years. The time to new cancer event was similar for early and late laryngeal cancers. Only 36 (47%) of the hypopharyngeal cancers were treated with curative intent and of these 36% had a previously undiagnosed cancer event. Conclusion: Local data and published evidence support a follow‐up duration of 7 years for laryngeal primaries and 3 years for both oropharyngeal and hypopharyngeal primaries. Late stage oropharyngeal cancers may require longer follow up than early cancers. Patients who continue to smoke may need longer follow up. A change in local follow‐up protocol to this regimen would save 10 patient slots every week with no detriment to patient care. Clin. Otolaryngol. 2009, 34 , 546–551.     

71例头颈部鳞状细胞癌的多原发癌临床资料分析

目的　了解头颈部鳞癌的多原发癌发病部位和治疗、生存状况。方法　对 71例头颈部鳞状细胞癌 (简称鳞癌 )的多原发癌临床资料做了回顾性分析。结果　发生在头颈部的重复癌 2 7例 ,发生在非头颈部的重复癌 4 2例 ,另有三重癌 2例。本组共有同时性重复癌 4例 ,其中 1例是同时性三重癌。余 6 7例均为异时性重复癌 ,其中 1例为异时性三重癌。 6 7例异时性重复癌中 ,先证癌与重复癌发生的间隔期为 8个月～ 12年不等。 70 %的先证口腔鳞癌发生头颈部重复癌 ;6 2 %的先证下咽癌和 79%的先证喉癌发生非头颈部位的重复癌。非头颈部位以食管和肺部发生的重复癌较多。在所有头颈部鳞癌发生重复癌的部位中 ,以食管重复癌为最多 ,占本组病例的 2 4 %。本组病例总体3年、5年生存率分别为 32 4 %和 2 2 5 % ;重复癌治疗组和未治组的 3年生存率有明显统计学差异 ,治疗组明显高于未治组。结论　头颈鳞癌的重复癌以食管癌最为多见。口腔癌容易发生头颈部重复癌 ,喉癌和下咽癌易发生非头颈部重复癌。细致随访和复查、早期明确诊断和积极有效的治疗 ,可以提高这类患者的生存率。     

Site and incidence of multiple cancers in patients with squamous cell carcinomas of the upper aerodigestive tract

The etiology of multiple primary cancers has not been clearly elucidated, although some pathogenic factors are known. The studies reported here include 796 patients who, between January 1970 and March 1989, presented with a carcinoma of the upper aerodigestive system. The charts of 687 patients were analyzed retrospectively; 109 patients were studied prospectively by systematic pretherapeutic panendoscopy. Multiple primary cancers were found in 76 cases (9.5%), 33 patients had synchronous cancers, and 43 had metachronous cancers. In the prospective study, the incidence of multiple cancers was higher (13.7%) than in the retrospective group (8.8%). Synchronous primaries were more frequent in the prospective study (8.2%) than in the retrospective analysis (3.4%). Second primaries were mostly found in the esophagus, the hypopharynx, the buccal cavity, and the lung. The authors also examined whether the anatomic location of the second primary cancer can be related to the site of the first. The five-year survival rate among patients with synchronous cancers (18%) was lower than among patients with metachronous cancers (41%). The prognosis for synchronous cancers deteriorates if the planned treatment has to be modified following the discovery of a second primary. Systematic pretherapeutic panendoscopy should be used to help detect early asymptomatic second primaries which might be missed during clinical examination.     

71例头颈部鳞状细胞癌的多原发癌临床资料分析

目的 了解头颈部鳞癌的多原发癌发病部位和治疗、生存状况。方法 对71例头颈部鳞状细胞癌(简称鳞癌)的多原发癌临床资料做了回顾性分析。结果 发生在头颈部的重复癌27例，发生在非头颈部的重复癌42例，另有三重癌2例。本组共有同时性重复癌4例，其中1例是同时性三重癌。余67例均为异时性重复癌，其中1例为异时性三重癌。67例异时性重复癌中，先证癌与重复癌发生的间隔期为8个月～12年不等。70％的先证口腔鳞癌发生头颈部重复癌；62％的先证下咽癌和79％的先证喉癌发生非头颈部位的重复癌。非头颈部位以食管和肺部发生的重复癌较多。在所有头颈部鳞癌发生重复癌的部位中，以食管重复癌为最多，占本组病例的24％。本组病例总体3年、5年生存率分别为32．4％和22．5％；重复癌治疗组和未治组的3年生存率有明显统计学差异，治疗组明显高于未治组。结论 头颈鳞癌的重复癌以食管癌最为多见。口腔癌容易发生头颈部重复癌，喉癌和下咽癌易发生非头颈部重复癌。细致随访和复查、早期明确诊断和积极有效的治疗，可以提高这类患者的生存率。     

Delayed regional metastases, distant metastases, and second primary malignancies in squamous cell carcinomas of the larynx and hypopharynx

OBJECTIVE: To determine the impact of delayed regional metastases, distant metastases, and second primary tumors on the therapeutic outcomes in squamous cell carcinomas of the larynx and hypopharynx. STUDY DESIGN: Chart review and statistical analysis. METHODS: A retrospective tumor registry analysis was made of patients with squamous cell carcinomas of the larynx and hypopharynx who were treated with curative intent in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and the Radiation Oncology Center of the Washington University School of Medicine (St. Louis, MO) between January 1971 and December 1991 and developed delayed regional metastases (2 y after treatment), distant metastases, and second primary malignancies. RESULTS: In 2550 patients, the mean age (59.8 y), sex (8.5 male patients and 1 female patient), and tumor differentiation did not affect the incidence of delayed distant, regional, or second primary malignancies. The overall incidence of delayed regional metastases was 12.4% (317/2550 patients); distant metastases, 8.5% (217/2550); and second primary tumors, 8.9% (228/2550), with a 5-year disease-specific survival of 41%, 6.4%, and 35%, respectively. Second primary malignancies were not statistically related to the origin of the primary tumor, tumor staging, or delayed regional and distant metastases (P =.98). Delayed regional metastases and distant metastases were related to advanced primary disease (T4 stage), lymph node metastases (node positive [N+]), tumor location (hypopharynx), and locoregional tumor recurrence (P < or =.028). Advanced regional metastases at initial diagnosis (N2 and N3 disease) increased the incidence of delayed and distant metastases threefold (P =.017). These two metastatic parameters were significantly greater in hypopharyngeal tumors than in laryngeal tumors (P =.037). The incidences of delayed regional metastases by anatomical location of the primary tumor were as follows: glottic, 4.4%; supraglottic, 16%; subglottic, 11.5%; aryepiglottic fold, 21.9%; pyriform sinus, 31.1%; and posterior hypopharyngeal wall, 18.5%. The incidences of distant metastases were as follows: glottic, 4%; supraglottic, 3.7%; subglottic, 14%; aryepiglottic fold, 16%; pyriform fossa, 17.2%; and posterior hypopharyngeal wall, 17.6%. Seventeen hypopharyngeal tumors (2%) presented with M1 disease. Delayed regional metastases to the ipsilateral treated neck had a significantly worse survival prognosis than delayed metastases to the contralateral nontreated neck (P =.001). CONCLUSIONS: Conclusions are as follows: 1) The incidence of second primary tumors is independent from the primary tumor staging and distant and delayed regional metastases. The highest incidence occurred in patient groups with the highest disease-free survival rates (P =.0378). 2) Highest incidence of delayed and distant metastases occurred in hypopharyngeal tumors and was three times greater than in laryngeal cancers (P =.028). 3) Salvage therapeutic rates were poor for delayed metastases to the ipsilateral treated nodes and distant metastases as compared with contralateral neck metastases and second primary tumors (P =.001). 4) Delayed and distant lymph node metastases were significantly higher in advanced primary disease (T4 stage), locoregional recurrences, and regional disease (N2 and N3) (P =.028) in both the larynx and hypopharynx. 5) The higher incidence of delayed and distant metastatic disease was related to more advanced initial tumor presentation in hypopharyngeal cancer as compared with laryngeal cancer (P =.039). 6) Incidence of distant metastases was greatest between 1.5 and 6 years after initial treatment with a mean incidence being less than or equal to 3.2 years.     

头颈部多原发癌68例临床分析

目的 探讨头颈部多原发癌(MPC)的发病情况、临床特征及治疗预后。 方法 对2014年1月1日至2017年12月31日收治的68例MPC的临床资料进行回顾性分析,采用SPSS 21.0软件进行统计学分析。 结果 在福建医科大学附属第二医院耳鼻咽喉科同期收治的8758例患者中有恶性肿瘤648例,其中有68例多原发癌,占比为0.78%。自2014年至2017年多原发癌年占比依次为:0.72%、0.72%、0.77%、0.86%。多原发癌组中男61例、女7例,其男女比例较单原发癌组高(χ2=8.18, P=0.004)。二重癌62例、三重癌6例。同时性MPC 35例、异时性MPC 33例。44例患者既往有吸烟/饮酒史,男性吸烟饮酒事件明显高于女性(χ2=6.40, P=0.006)。下咽癌的多原发癌发病率(23.81%)最高,其次为口腔癌(14.71%)、喉癌(9.33%)。口腔癌、下咽癌和喉癌最常见的第二原发癌均为食管癌。有45例(66.18%)第二癌与首发癌间隔时间小于5年。22例患者曾行放化疗,有放化疗史的多原发癌患者中异时性更多见(χ2=18.64, P<0.001)。 结论 发生MPC概率最高的头颈部肿瘤依次为下咽癌、口腔癌、喉癌。头颈部MPC并发食管癌等上消化道肿瘤的可能性大,故对头颈部肿瘤患者,建议将电子胃镜检查列为常规的术前检查及术后定期的随访检查手段;应加强首发癌治疗后长期,尤其前5年的密切随访。放疗过程中要加强对靶器官外的组织器官的放射防护。     

Secondary primary malignancies in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Second primary malignancies pose a significant clinical challenge to the head and neck oncologist. The prognosis for these patients is poor and therefore early detection of these tumours is essential. There are considerable differences in the reported cohorts of patients and the biological behaviour of these tumours throughout the world literature. This is particularly marked when there is considerable demographic variation present. The behaviour of second primary malignancies in 425 Irish patients with head and neck cancer was reviewed retrospectively. The overall incidence of second cancers was 8.5 per cent. There were a higher proportion of oral cancer patients 47 per cent, the second cancers overall presented with a more advanced T stage, and the overall five-year survival was much lower than that of the index tumour.     

Second malignancies in early stage laryngeal carcinoma patients treated with radiotherapy

A retrospective review of 240 patients with T1/T2 squamous cell carcinomas of the larynx was performed. Seventy-two per cent had glottic primaries, 27 per cent had supraglottic tumours and one per cent had subglottic disease. Sixty-nine per cent presented with T1 disease and 31 per cent had T2 staged tumours. All patients were treated with definitive radiotherapy between 1973 and 1997. With a median follow-up of 68 months, 68 patients (28 per cent) have developed 72 other cancers. Ten of 68 presented with synchronous primaries (15 per cent). Thirty per cent of glottic patients and 25 per cent of the supraglottic/subglottic patients developed second cancers. The most frequent second malignancy was lung cancer: 28/72 (39 per cent). Fifteen patients developed second head and neck cancers (21 per cent). Other second primary sites included oesophagus (eight), prostate (six), colorectal (five), breast (two) and others (eight). The median time from radiotherapy until the development of a second cancer was 31 months. The Kaplan-Meier survival estimate at five years was significantly less for those patients developing second cancers (55 per cent) compared to those not developing second malignancies (70 per cent), (p<0.05). The median survival from the development of a second cancer was 14 months. More died as a result of a second cancer (41 patients) than their primary laryngeal cancer (40 patients). Second cancers are common and deadly in patients with early stage laryngeal carcinoma.     

Impact of second primary tumors on survival in head and neck cancer: an analysis of 2,063 cases

Objective/Hypothesis: To investigate the impact of second primary tumors on prognosis for patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Study Design: Prospectively recorded data on HNSCC patients treated at an academic tertiary referral center. Methods: An analysis of 2,063 patients treated over a 15 year period for tumors of the upper aerodigestive tract, with a minimum follow‐up of 10 years. Results: A total of 351 (17%) patients developed a second primary, mean time to diagnosis of the second tumor being more than 4 years from the date of the initial tumor. Median overall survival from the date of the first tumor among patients who later developed a second primary was 6 years versus 3 years among all other patients (P < .05). During the first 6 years after treatment of the initial tumor, cancer specific survival was better in the second primary group. After diagnosis of a second primary tumor, median survival was 12 months. A positive correlation was found between second primaries and stage I/II primary disease, low patient age, and initial tumors of the larynx and oral cavity. Conclusions: The group of patients with the highest risk of a second primary tumor was younger patients with limited initial tumors. A high proportion of patients who later developed a second primary were complete responders after treatment of the first tumor. However, prognosis was poor after the actual diagnosis of the second primary tumor.     

Primary and metastatic cancer of the parotid: comparison of clinical behavior in 232 cases

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: Parotid malignancy may develop as a primary cancer of salivary tissue or by metastatic involvement of parotid lymph nodes. The aim of the study was to compare the clinical behavior of primary and metastatic parotid cancers by analyzing patterns of treatment failure and clinical outcomes. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective review of clinical and pathologic data prospectively accessioned onto a computerized database. METHODS: A prospectively documented series of 232 parotidectomies carried out for treatment of cancer from 1988 to 1999 was reviewed. There were 177 male and 55 female patients with a median age of 65 years (age range, 17-97 y). Median follow-up time was 4 years. Pathological groups included 54 patients with primary parotid cancer, 101 with metastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, 69 with metastatic melanoma, and 8 with other metastatic cancers. RESULTS: Neck nodes were clinically positive in 12 patients with primary cancer, 24 patients with squamous cell carcinoma, 16 with melanoma, and 2 with other metastatic malignancies. Conservative parotidectomy, preserving the main trunk of the facial nerve, was performed in 185 patients, and 47 patients had a radical parotidectomy sacrificing the facial nerve. There were 54 therapeutic and 110 elective neck dissections. Adjuvant radiotherapy was given to 39 patients with primary cancer, 86 with squamous cell carcinoma, 50 with melanoma, and 8 in the other metastatic group (78% of the patients in the series). Local control rates at 5 years in the four groups were 86%, 75%, 94%, and 100%, respectively (P <.01). Survival rates at 5 years were 77%, 65%, 46%, and 56%, respectively (P <.01). CONCLUSIONS: The pattern of parotid malignancy is unique in Australia because of the high incidence of skin cancer, which can metastasize to the parotid gland. Metastatic cutaneous malignancy predominates. The pattern of failure and outcome varied depending on histological findings. Local failure occurred most often in metastatic squamous cell carcinoma, whereas patients with melanoma had the highest incidence of distant spread.     

Multiple Primary Malignant Tumors in Patients With Head and Neck Cancer

Multiple primary tumors are a known phenomenon in head and neck cancer. They are partially responsible for the limited improvement in survival of head and neck cancer during the past 20 years. Only a few prospective data have been published about the incidence of metachronous tumors. The authors prospectively studied 127 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. The overall incidence of second primary tumors was 13.5% (simultaneously, 3%; synchronously, 5.5%; and metachronously, 8%). More than 90% of the recurrences of the first primary tumor occurred within the first 2 years following primary treatment, but the second primary tumors continued to occur gradually in the course of follow-up. Most of the second primary tumors were discovered because the patients developed symptoms (14/17). Survival after detection of the second primary tumor was poor. The development of a second primary tumor was of equivalent prognosis to a recurrence of the primary tumor. Future directives include the development of more adequate screening methods. Identification of potential early markers for the development of a squamous cell carcinoma at the level of the mucosa at risk and in serum could be of value for the early detection of individuals at risk.     

Multiple synchronous and metachronous cancers of the upper aerodigestive tract: a nine-year study

This retrospective study was based on 9,089 patients and includes 855 cases (9.4%) of multiple primary cancers treated between 1975 and 1983. Three hundred fifty (42.1%) of these multiple cancers were considered synchronous, while 480 (57.9%) were classified as metachronous. Fifty percent of the metachronous cancers occurred within 31 months after the first primary; the mean time between the first primary and the second primary was 45 months. Approximately 22% of second primaries were found more than 5 years after the initial tumor. Five-year survival rates were higher in metachronous cancers (55%) than in synchronous cancers (18%). Survival rates varied according to the treatment. In 49.4% of synchronous tumors the treatment had to be modified because of the presence of two cancers. In these patients, 5-year survival rates were as low as 8%. In synchronous cancers that required no modification of the treatment, the prognosis was better and the survival rate was 28%. The preferential anatomical location of the second synchronous and metachronous cancers is discussed for first primaries situated in the oral cavity (103 cases), the oropharynx (120 cases), the hypopharynx (92 cases), and the larynx (87 cases). Second primaries in the esophagus were mostly synchronous cancers while, in the lung, second cancers were more frequently metachronous tumors.     

Analysis of Treatment Results for Floor‐of‐Mouth Cancer

Objective This study reports the results of treating floor‐of‐mouth cancer with five different treatment modalities with long‐term follow‐up. Study Design Retrospective study of 280 patients with floor‐of‐mouth cancer treated in the Department of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery at Washington University Medical School (St. Louis, MO) from 1960 to 1994. Methods Patients with biopsy‐proven squamous cell carcinoma of the floor of mouth who were previously untreated were treated with curative intent by one of five modalities and were all eligible for 5‐year follow‐up. The treatment modalities included local resection alone, composite resection alone (with neck dissection), radiation therapy alone, local resection with radiation therapy, and composite resection with radiation therapy. Multiple diagnostic, treatment, and follow‐up parameters were studied using standard statistical analysis to determine statistical significance. Results The overall 5‐year disease‐specific survival (DSS) was 56% with death due to tumor in 44% of patients. The 5‐year cumulative disease‐specific survival (CDSS) was 0.61 (Kaplan‐Meier probability) with a mean of 8.3 years and a median of 9.7 years. The DSS by treatment modality included local resection (76%), composite resection (63%), radiation therapy (43%), local resection with radiation therapy (61%), and composite resection with radiation therapy (55%). Overall, there was no significant difference in DSS by treatment modality. Recurrence at the primary site (41%) was the most common site of treatment failure. Nineteen percent of patients had recurrence in the neck. Eighty‐eight percent of initial recurrences occurred within 60 months after the onset of treatment. Metastasis to a distant site occurred in 30% of patients. Twenty percent of these patients had second primary cancers, and 53% of these patients died of their second primary cancers. Conclusions Significantly improved 5‐year DSS was seen in the patients with clear margins, early clinical tumor stage, and negative nodes. Significantly decreased 5‐year survival was seen in the patients with involved margins, advanced clinical tumor stage, positive nodes, and tumor recurrence. Patients with no clinically positive nodes (cN0) can be observed safely for regional nodal disease and subsequent positive nodes can be treated as they occur with no adverse affect on survival. Because of high recurrence rates at the primary site and neck, and an increased rate of both distant metastasis and the development of second primary cancers, patients should be monitored closely for a minimum of at least 5 years.     

Chemoprevention of head and neck cancer with retinoids: a negative result

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether isotretinoin (or 13-cis-retinoic acid) decreases the risk of second primary cancers in patients previously treated for cure of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. DESIGN: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. SETTING: Two head and neck multidisciplinary cancer clinics in university teaching hospitals taking cases from 4 to 5 million people in Queensland, Australia, combined to enter appropriate patients into this trial. PATIENTS: One hundred fifty-one patients with their first head and neck squamous cell carcinoma treated with high expectation for cure and living close by. They were randomized into 3 arms to receive 3 years of treatment. INTERVENTIONS: Patients took isotretinoin at a high dose (1.0 mg/kg per day) or a moderate dose (0.5 mg/kg per day) or placebo. Group 1 took the high dose for 1 year and then the moderate dose for 2 years. Group 2 took the moderate dose for 3 years. Group 3 took placebo for 3 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The diagnosis of a second primary malignancy of the head and neck, lung, or bladder was regarded as the end point signifying failure of therapy. Issues of drug adverse effect profile and impact on survival were measured. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the occurrence of second primary disease (P = .90), the recurrence of primary disease (P = .70), or disease-free time (P = .80) between the treatment and nontreatment arms. Numbers were too small to find differences in survival. CONCLUSION: With evidence that retinoid treatment adversely affects survival of lung cancer and with this drug not significantly decreasing the incidence of second primary tumors of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, the use of this drug in head and neck cancer patients for second cancer prophylaxis is not indicated.     

Second primary tumors in head and neck cancer

IntroductionThe development of second primary tumors (SPT) in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) has become an increasingly important factor in clinical treatment decisions.PurposeTo define favourable clinical characteristics for overall survival, in patients with SP head and neck cancer.Material and methodRecords of 633 patients with SCC treated from 1984 to 2004 were reviewed to describe clinical characteristics of the SPT.ResultsThe overall incidence of SPT was 11%. The incidence of the index tumors was as follows: supraglottic cancer 21% and oral cancer 16%. The most common SPT occurred in head and neck area in 47%, lung in 32% and esophagus in 11%. Second primary was associated with a poor 5 years survival in patients with HN-SCC (23 versus 53% in control group).ConclusionBecause of the high rate of second primary tumors, protocols including chemoprophylaxis should be investigated. Prevention and early detection are indicated.