FaCD Online Syndrome Fact Sheet

Last updated: 30 May 2003

Name: Colorectal Carcinoids, Multiple Primary Malignancies in Patients with

Tumor features

colorectal cancer
colorectal carcinoid
esophageal cancer
gastric cancer
lung/bronchial cancer
prostate cancer
renal cell cancer
renal pyelum cancer
small intestinal cancer
ureter cancer
urinary bladder cancer

Comment

Tichansky et al.[1] examined 2,086 patients with colorectal carcinoids from the SEER dataset for the occurrence of second cancers. Increased risks of cancer were found for the following sites: colon and rectum (P < 0.001), small bowel (P < 0.001), esophagus/stomach (P = 0.02), lung/bronchus (P < 0.001), urinary tract (P = 0.005), and prostate (P < 0.001). Most of the gastrointestinal tract cancers were synchronous cancers, whereas lesions outside the gastrointestinal tract were most commonly metachronous tumors.

General aspects to consider with respect to multiple primary tumors:
- Shared genetic (immune response, metabolic/hormonal/DNA-repair pathways) or non-genetic (chemical carcinogens, radiation, viruses, life-style) risk factors
- Therapy (radiation, chemotherapy, hormonal,...) related effects
- Possible bias because of increased surveillance and autopsy findings

References

[1] Tichansky DS, Cagir B, Borrazzo E, Topham A, Palazzo J, Weaver EJ, Lange A, Fry RD. Risk of second cancers in patients with colorectal carcinoids. Dis Colon Rectum 2002; 45(1):91-97.