CLINICOPATHOLOGICAL STUDY ON CORRELATION OF IMMUNOSUPPRESSION AND MULTIPLE PRIMARY MALIGNANT NEOPLASMAS

  • 1 January 1976
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 23  (4) , 409-420
Abstract
The incidence of 2nd malignancies in patients with malignant diseases increases after prolonged treatment with immunosuppressive or antineoplastic agents. The occurrence of such additional malignant diseases was analyzed in 5 yr autopsy material. During this period 7670 autopsies were performed. Malignant diseases were observed in 1707 cases (22.1%) and among them were multiple primary malignant neoplasms in 58 cases (3.3%). The average time between the occurrence of initial and 2nd tumors was 29 mo. The frequency of 2nd tumors in patients with leukemias (chronic lymphocytic leukemia) were 4 times higher than in patients with tumors of epithelial origin. Hepatocarcinomas arose in cirrhotic livers and astrocytomas were often followed by new malignancies. In consequence of successfully applied surgical, radiological and combined immunosuppressive antineoplastic therapy the survival of cancer patients lengthened, so among different side effects of the used therapy oncogenesis cannot be omitted. The danger of subsequent malignant tumors makes it imperative that immunosuppression should only only be applied when strictly indicated.

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