Risk of second primary malignancies among cancer survivors in the United States, 1992 through 2008

Features That Middle-aged and Older Cancer Survivors Want in Web-Based Healthy Lifestyle Interventions: Qualitative Descriptive Study

Background

With the increasing number of older cancer survivors, it is imperative to optimize the reach of interventions that promote healthy lifestyles. Web-based delivery holds promise for increasing the reach of such interventions with the rapid increase in internet use among older adults. However, few studies have explored the views of middle-aged and older cancer survivors on this approach and potential variations in these views by gender or rural and urban residence.

Objective

The aim of this study was to explore the views of middle-aged and older cancer survivors regarding the features of web-based healthy lifestyle programs to inform the development of a web-based diet and exercise intervention.

Methods

Using a qualitative descriptive approach, we conducted 10 focus groups with 57 cancer survivors recruited from hospital cancer registries in 1 southeastern US state. Data were analyzed using inductive thematic and content analyses with NVivo (version 12.5, QSR International).

Results

A total of 29 male and 28 female urban and rural dwelling Black and White survivors, with a mean age of 65 (SD 8.27) years, shared their views about a web-based healthy lifestyle program for cancer survivors. Five themes emerged related to program content, design, delivery, participation, technology training, and receiving feedback. Cancer survivors felt that web-based healthy lifestyle programs for cancer survivors must deliver credible, high-quality, and individually tailored information, as recommended by health care professionals or content experts. Urban survivors were more concerned about information reliability, whereas women were more likely to trust physicians’ recommendations. Male and rural survivors wanted information to be tailored to the cancer type and age group. Privacy, usability, interaction frequency, and session length were important factors for engaging cancer survivors with a web-based program. Female and rural participants liked the interactive nature and visual appeal of the e-learning sessions. Learning from experts, an attractive design, flexible schedule, and opportunity to interact with other cancer survivors in Facebook closed groups emerged as factors promoting program participation. Low computer literacy, lack of experience with web program features, and concerns about Facebook group privacy were important concerns influencing cancer survivors’ potential participation. Participants noted the importance of technology training, preferring individualized help to standardized computer classes. More rural cancer survivors acknowledged the need to learn how to use computers. The receipt of regular feedback about progress was noted as encouragement toward goal achievement, whereas women were particularly interested in receiving immediate feedback to stay motivated.

Conclusions

Important considerations for designing web-based healthy lifestyle interventions for middle-aged and older cancer survivors include program quality, participants’ privacy, ease of use, attractive design, and the prominent role of health care providers and content experts. Cancer survivors’ preferences based on gender and residence should be considered to promote program participation.

Benchmarking prognosis methods for survivability - A case study for patients with contingent primary cancers

BACKGROUND

There is an increasing number of patients with a first primary cancer who are diagnosed with a second primary cancer, but prognosis methods to predict the survivability of a patient with multiple primary cancers have not been fully benchmarked.

METHODS

This study investigated the five-year survivability prognosis performances of six machine learning approaches. These approaches are: artificial neural network, decision tree (DT), logistic regression, support vector machine, naïve Bayes (NB), and Bayesian network (BN). A synthetic minority over-sampling technique (SMOTE) was used to solve the imbalanced problem, and a nationwide cancer patient database containing 7,845 subjects in Taiwan was used as a sample source. Ten primary and secondary cancers and their key variables affecting the survivability of the patients were identified.

RESULTS

All the models using SMOTE improved sensitivity and specificity significantly. NB has the highest performance in terms of accuracy and specificity, whereas BN has the highest performance in terms of sensitivity. Further, the computational time and the power of knowledge representation of NB, BN, and DT outperformed the others.

CONCLUSIONS

Selecting the appropriate prognosis models to predict survivability of patients with two contingent primary cancers can aid precise prediction and can support appropriate treatment advice.

Second primary malignancy among malignant solid tumor survivors aged 85 years and older

The cancer burden in the oldest old has increased rapidly. This study aimed to investigate the epidemiology of second primary malignancy (SPM) in malignant solid tumor survivors aged 85 years and older utilizing the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. A total of 128,466 malignant solid tumor patients had been identified between 2000 and 2011, including 6774 patients who developed a SPM. The overall crude incidence of developing a SPM was 5.3%. Considering death as a competing event, the 3, 5, and 10-year cumulative incidence was 1.9%, 3.2%, and 5.4%, respectively. Relative younger age, male gender, surgery history, local stage and first primary malignancy (FPM) site located in the urinary system were related to higher cumulative incidence. A median time interval of 24.0 months was found between diagnosis of FPM and SPM. The most common SPM site was digestive system, whereas the least common was oral cavity and pharynx. The median overall survival (OS) was 49.0 months, and the median survival after SPM was 13.0 months. Relative older age, male gender and black race were associated with worse OS and survival after SPM, as well as higher hazard ratios of death. In conclusions, this study performed a comprehensive analysis of SPM among malignant solid tumor survivors aged 85 years and older. Additional studies are needed to characterize the specific cancer type of interest.

A Poisson binomial-based statistical testing framework for comorbidity discovery across electronic health record datasets

Discovering the concomitant occurrence of distinct medical conditions in a patient, also known as comorbidities, is a prerequisite for creating patient outcome prediction tools. Current comorbidity discovery applications are designed for small datasets and use stratification to control for confounding variables such as age, sex or ancestry. Stratification lowers false positive rates, but reduces power, as the size of the study cohort is decreased. Here we describe a Poisson binomial-based approach to comorbidity discovery (PBC) designed for big-data applications that circumvents the need for stratification. PBC adjusts for confounding demographic variables on a per-patient basis and models temporal relationships. We benchmark PBC using two datasets to compute comorbidity statistics on 4,623,841 pairs of potentially comorbid medical terms. The results of this computation are provided as a searchable web resource. Compared with current methods, the PBC approach reduces false positive associations while retaining statistical power to discover true comorbidities.

Feasibility, acceptability, and effects of behavior change interventions for improving multiple dietary behaviors among cancer survivors: a systematic review

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to systematically identify and synthesize evidence on the feasibility, acceptability, and effects of behavior change interventions for improving multiple dietary behaviors among cancer survivors.

METHODS

A total of 14 electronic databases and three trial registries were searched. Experimental studies that examined the feasibility, acceptability, and effects of behavior change interventions for improving multiple dietary behaviors among cancer survivors and published in English or Chinese peer-reviewed journals or protocols were considered eligible. The methodological quality of the included studies was evaluated using the revised Cochrane risk-of-bias assessment tool. Data were extracted and synthesized narratively.

RESULTS

Six studies, with a sample size ranging from 50 to 3088, were included. The studies had a high overall risk of bias. Six studies reported feasibility data, and the average eligibility, recruitment, and retention rates at post-intervention were 60.7%, 66.7%, and 90.7%, respectively. Only one study measured the acceptability and reported that 66.6% of participants were satisfied with the intervention. Five out of the six studies that measured fruit and vegetable consumption reported statistically significant positive intervention effects. Two studies reported inconsistent intervention effects on wholegrain consumption. Only one study measured the consumption of processed meat, sugar, and alcohol, which had statistically nonsignificant intervention effect.

CONCLUSIONS

Behavior change interventions for improving multiple dietary behaviors might be feasible and effective to increase fruit and/or vegetable consumption among cancer survivors. Further research is needed to examine the acceptability and effects of the intervention for modifying other dietary behavior.

Risks and cancer associations of metachronous and synchronous multiple primary cancers: a 25-year retrospective study

Background

The situation of patients developing multiple primary cancers is becoming more frequent and graver. This study investigated the risks of developing second primary cancers that are related to first primary cancers, and the interval times of synchronous and metachronous multiple primary cancers.

Patients and methods

Retrospective data were retrieved from 109,054 patients aged ≥18 who were diagnosed with a first solid cancer and registered at Siriraj Cancer Center between 1991 and 2015. A two-month period between first- and second- primary cancers was used to differentiate metachronous and synchronous multiple primary cancers. The combinations of subsequent cancers and relative risks (RRs) of having multiple primary cancers versus having single primary cancer for the top-ten first and second primary cancers were examined. The RR was adjusted for age of the first primary cancer. A survival analysis of the time to second-primary-cancer development was performed.

Results

Multiple primary cancers were found in 1785 (1.63%) patients. Most (70.87%) second primary cancers occurred after 2 months of first breast, skin, colorectal, lung, head and neck, liver, male genital cancer–prostate, thyroid, and female genital cancer–non-uterine cancers, resulting in those cancers being classified as metachronous multiple primary cancer. After adjustment for age at first diagnosis, head and neck cancers had the highest metachronous association with second esophageal cancers (RR, 25.06; 95% CI, 13.41–50.77). Prostate cancer and second colorectal cancer also demonstrated a high metachronous association (RR, 2.00; 95% CI, 1.25–3.05). A strong synchronous association was found between uterine and ovarian cancers (RR, 27.77; 95% CI, 17.97–43.63). The median time from the first uterine cancer to second-cancer development was 55 days.

Conclusions

The top-ten most frequent multiple primary cancers were the following: breast; liver; head and neck; colorectal; male genital cancer–prostate; skin; female genital cancer–uterine; thyroid; lung; and female genital cancer–non-uterine. Second primary cancers showed specific associations that depended on the first primary cancer. Physicians should be cognizant of the most common combinations and the interval times of metachronous and synchronous multiple primary cancers.

The clinical value of 18F-fluoroestradiol in assisting individualized treatment decision in dual primary malignancies

Background

For patients with previously diagnosed dual primary tumors, it is usually difficult to determine the diagnosis and treatment of stage IV recurrence. The study was to explore the influences of ¹⁸F-fluoroestradiol positron emission tomography/computed tomography (¹⁸F-FES PET/CT) in the diagnosis of estrogen receptor (ER) positive breast cancer combined with other primary tumor with distant metastases.

Methods

Multidisciplinary team were organized to explore the definite clinical value of ¹⁸F-FES PET/CT in stage IV patients suffered from ER-positive breast cancer and another primary tumor synchronously or metachronously. Thirty-two female patients were retrospectively analyzed who underwent ¹⁸F-FES PET/CT scans in our center. Before and after reading ¹⁸F-FES reports, the team members from department of surgery, oncology and radiotherapy should make decisions of management strategy.

Results

Totally, the multidisciplinary team completed the management decision-making of the 32 patients before and after ¹⁸F-FES PET/CT scans. 87.5% (n=28) of the patients were considered to benefit from ¹⁸F-FES reports for diagnosis and treatment decisions. Out of the 28 patients, 7 patients (7/32, 21.9%) were considered to definitely change the management strategies while 12 patients (12/32, 37.5%) was instructive to develop management plans after the scan. The other 9 patients were suggested reassuring decision-making process by ¹⁸F-FES PET/CT.

Conclusions

¹⁸F-FES PET/CT scans have clinical effects on diagnosis and treatment strategies of stage IV patients suffered from ER-positive breast cancer and another primary tumor.

Do people living with HIV face more secondary cancers than general population: From the French CANCERVIH network

INTRODUCTION

People living with HIV (PLWHIV) are at a higher risk of cancer compared to the general population. With improved cancer treatments and the increased life expectancy of PLWHIV, the incidence of second cancers is also expected to increase.

METHODS

We reviewed the cases of PLWHIV with cancer that have been presented to the CANCERVIH national multidisciplinary board since 2014. We included all cases with a history of cancer, and studied the incidence and types of second cancers.

RESULTS

In total, 719 cases were reviewed, out of which 94 (13%) had a history of at least one cancer. For the first primary cancers, 46 (49%) were AIDS-defining cancers (ADCs) and 48 (51%) were non-AIDS-defining cancers (NADCs). Kaposi sarcoma (33%) and NHL (15%) occurred most frequently as first cancers. Among the first cancers that were ADCs, 15% of the second cancers were NHL, 11% anal canal cancers, 9% bladder and 9% Hodgkin lymphomas. Among the first cancers that were NADCs, 38% of the second cancers were lung cancers, 8% bladder, 8% head and neck and 8% NHL.

DISCUSSION

With the aging of PLWHIV, the incidence of second and subsequent cancers is expected to increase in this population. Immuno-virological control should be maintained. Increased surveillance, early prevention and screening programs should be offered to all PLWHIV, including those with an undetectable HIV viral load and/or immune restoration.

The risk and prognosis of secondary primary malignancy in lung cancer: a population-based study

Aim: To assess and predict risk and prognosis of lung cancer (LC) patients with second primary malignancy (SPM). Methods: LC patients diagnosed from 1992 to 2016 were obtained through the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. Standardized incidence ratios were calculated to evaluate SPM risk. Cox regression and competing risk models were applied to assess the factors associated with overall survival, SPM development and LC-specific survival. Nomograms were built to predict SPM probability and overall survival. Results & conclusion: LC patients remain at higher risk of SPM even though the incidence declines. Patients with SPM have a better prognosis than patients without SPM. The consistency indexes for nomograms of SPM probability and overall survival are 0.605 (95% CI: 0.598-0.611) and 0.644 (95% CI: 0.638-0.650), respectively.

Survival and medical costs of melanoma patients with subsequent cancer diagnoses: A South Korean population-based retrospective cohort study

Aim

Subsequent cancers (SCs) after melanoma diagnosis further increases the risks of mortality and medical costs. This population‐based analysis aimed to evaluate risk factors for SC, mortality, and medical costs of melanoma patients with SC.

Methods

A retrospective cohort analysis was conducted using a nationwide claims database during 2002‐2017 in South Korea. SC was defined as having other types of cancer diagnoses other than subsequent melanoma during‐up to 5 years after melanoma diagnosis. Melanoma patients were divided into patients with and without SC, and the overall and subgroup survival rates, the risk of developing SC, and the total medical costs were analyzed using a Kaplan–Meier method and regressions.

Results

A total of 3740 melanoma patients were included in the analysis (mean age, 62.3 ± 15.4 y; 47.2% men), and 2273 patients (1157 within 2 months, 756 after 2 months of melanoma diagnosis) had SC. Higher Charlson comorbidity index score and male sex significantly increased the risk of developing SC. Five‐year survival rate and cumulative medical costs were 62.3% (95% confidence interval [CI], 60.8‐63.9) and $21,413, respectively, in all patients. Patients with SC diagnosed after 2 months showed the lowest survival rate of 47.8% (95% CI, 44.3‐51.4) and the highest costs of $27,081, showing a mortality hazard ratio of 1.65 (range, 1.46‐1.86) and a cost ratio of 1.189 (range, 1.112‐1.271) compared with those without SC.

Conclusion

This study presented survival outcomes and medical costs in melanoma patients and confirmed that SC after the first diagnosis of melanoma significantly increased disease burden in terms of mortality and medical costs.

Second primary cancers: a retrospective analysis of real world data using the enhanced medical research engine ConSoRe in a French comprehensive cancer center

BACKGROUND

Second primary cancers (SPC) account for 18% of all cancers. We used the enhanced medical/health data mining tool ConSoRe to search aggregated data, analyze electronic patient records (EPR), and better characterize patients with SPC.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study used ConSoRe to identify EPRs from patients with SPC referred to the regional cancer center Leon Bérard from 1993 to 2017, and examined characteristics of patients with SPC, frequencies of first primary cancer (FPC) localization in the global population of patients with SPC, and time to SPC. Data set was extracted on January 1, 2018.

RESULTS

Among 296,530 EPRs, we identified 157,187 patients with FPC, including 13,002 (8%) patients with SPC. Between 2000 and 2010, the rate of SPC was 34%, and 52% of SPC were identified in the last years (2010-2017). In men, main cancers were head and neck cancer, lymphoma, and prostate carcinoma accounting for 15.6%, 12.8%, and 10.5% of FPC, while the three most common SPC were head and neck cancer (13.2%), lung cancer (11.8%) and lymphoma (9.2%). In women, breast cancers, lymphoma, and skin cancers accounted for 48.8%, 8%, and 5.1% of first cancers, and for 31.1%, 7% and 6% of SPC.

CONCLUSION

The data mining tool ConSoRe contributes to access to real world data, and to better characterize patients with SPC. Expanding such approach to any comprehensive center will allow a global overview of the follow-up of patients with cancer, and help to improve long-term management and adapt surveillance.

Malignancies diagnosed before and after anal squamous cell carcinomas: A SEER registry analysis

BACKGROUND

Increased risk of a second primary malignancy (SPM) before or after diagnosis of anal squamous cell carcinoma (ASCC) has been reported in a previous single-institution study. We hypothesize that patients diagnosed with ASCC are at increased risk for developing SPMs before or after the diagnosis of ASCC. The primary objective of this study was to identify the diagnoses of cancer most likely to occur as SPMs before or after ASCC.

METHODS

This work employs the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program registry data to conduct a US-population-based study of patients diagnosed with ASCC between 1975 and 2016. In patients diagnosed with ASCC, we evaluated the risk of SPMs and the risk of developing ASCC as an SPM after another cancer using standardized incidence ratios (SIR) for all SPMs by calculating the ratio of observed events in the ASCC cohort compared to expected (O/E) events in a matched reference cohort of the general population.

RESULTS

A total of 7,594 patients with primary ASCC were included. Patients with ASCC were at increased risk of the diagnosis of an SPM (SIR = 1.45), particularly cancers of the lung, vulva, oropharynx, or colon. Patients with ASCC had an increased rate of previous malignancy (SIR = 1.23), especially Kaposi sarcoma or vulvar cancer. Overall elevated incidence of SPMs was unrelated to prior radiation treatment. Radiation treatment was associated with increased risk for SPMs in the female genital system but appeared protective against prostate cancer as SPMs.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings support increased surveillance and screening for second malignancies in patients with these diagnoses, as patients with ASCC are often either survivors of a prior cancer diagnosis or are at increased risk of developing later malignancies.

Increased risk of breast cancer-specific mortality among cancer survivors who developed breast cancer as a second malignancy

Background

Cancer survivors who develop breast cancer as a second malignancy (BCa-2) are common. Yet, little is known about the prognosis of BCa-2 compared to first primary breast cancer (BCa-1).

Methods

Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database, we conducted a population-based cohort study including 883,881 patients with BCa-1 and 36,313 patients with BCa-2 during 1990–2015. Compared with patients with BCa-1, we calculated hazard ratios (HRs) of breast cancer-specific mortality among patients with BCa-2, using multivariable Cox regression.

Results

During the follow-up (median 5.5 years), 114,964 and 3829 breast cancer-specific deaths were identified among BCa-1 and BCa-2 patients, respectively. Patients with BCa-2 had more favorable tumor characteristics and received less intensive treatment e.g., surgery and chemo−/radio-therapy, compared to patients with BCa-1. When adjusting for demographic factors, patients with BCa-2 were at similar risk of breast cancer-specific mortality (HR 1.00, 95% CI 0.97–1.03) compared to patients with BCa-1. However, when additionally controlling for tumor characteristics and treatment modes, BCa-2 patients were at an increased risk of breast cancer-specific mortality (HR 1.11, 95% CI 1.08–1.15). The risk elevation was particularly greater when the first malignancy was lung, bladder, ovarian or blood malignancy (HRs 1.16–1.85), or when the first malignancy was treated with chemotherapy and radiotherapy (HR 1.44, 95% CI 1.28–1.63).

Conclusions

Overall, patients with BCa-2 have worse breast cancer-specific survival, compared with their BCa-1 counterparts, although the risk elevation is mild. High-risk subgroups based on first malignancy’s characteristics may be considered for active clinical management.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12885-021-08132-9.

A qualitative exploration of fear of cancer recurrence in Turkish cancer survivors who were referred for colposcopy

We aimed to qualitatively explore factors related to fear of cancer recurrence in women who had a risk of cervical cancer relapse/metastasis and to identify the psychological effect of gynaecological examination and colposcopy in cancer survivors. We conducted the present descriptive study with a qualitative design based on the thematic analysis approach on ten women who under suspicion of new cancer and were admitted to the Gynaecological Oncology Polyclinic of Akdeniz University for colposcopy between July and October 2017 via in-depth interviews. As a result of the interviews, we identified three main themes: colposcopy-related fear, emotions associated with fear of cancer recurrence, and fear of being diagnosed with cancer. Moreover it was determined that women experienced a fear of death, fear of family being affected, fear of stigmatisation by society, and fear of not coping with the treatment process. We found that women with cancer history and undergoing colposcopy because of abnormal cervical cytology in routine oncology controls experienced a significant fear of cancer recurrence. We found that gynaecological examination and colposcopy caused anxiety in patients. Healthcare professions should be aware and help women to cope with the fear of cancer recurrence in the colposcopy process and should determine the social care needs of these patients.

Outcomes of Percutaneous Thermal Ablation for Biopsy-Proven T1a Renal Cell Carcinoma in Patients With Other Primary Malignancies

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this article is to investigate the oncologic effectiveness and survival outcomes of percutaneous image-guided thermal ablation for clinical T1a renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in patients with other primary nonrenal malignancies. MATERIALS AND METHODS. We reviewed records of patients with histologically proven T1a RCC (< 4.0 cm) treated with thermal ablation over a period of 10 years between January 2005 and December 2014. We recorded past or current history of primary malignancy other than RCC, status of the primary malignancy, tumor histology (in remission or under therapy), and whether patient was currently alive or not, and if not, the date and reason of death. Three cohorts were studied: patients with RCC only (group A), patients with RCC and other primary malignancy in remission (group B), and patients with RCC and other primary malignancy under treatment (group C). The Kaplan-Meier product-limit estimator was used to estimate the survival rates. RESULTS. One hundred nine patients met the inclusion criteria (109 lesions, 110 ablation procedures). There were 46, 45, and 18 patients in the A, B, and C groups, respectively. The 5-year survival was 87%, 63%, and 40% for groups A, B, and C, respectively. The local recurrence-free survival for the whole sample was 95% at 3, 5, and 10 years. The disease-free survival was 96%, 93%, and 91% at 3, 5, and 10 years. Although a significant difference is noted between the three cohorts in overall survival (p = .02); for RCC, there were no significance differences in the local recurrence-free, disease-free, metastasis-free, and cancer-specific survivals. In addition, there was no difference in outcomes for patients in group B (in remission) when compared with those in group C (under treatment). CONCLUSION. Thermal ablation is an effective and safe modality of treatment of T1a RCC in patients with other primary malignancies that are in remission or under treatment.

Thoracic and Extrathoracic Malignancies in Lung Cancer Screening Patients With Histories of Malignancy

PURPOSE

The objective of this study was to assess whether a history of malignancy affects the incidence of extrathoracic malignancies and lung cancer in patients undergoing CT lung cancer screening (LCS).

METHODS

All patients who underwent a LCS CT between June 2014 and August 2018 in a single health care system were included. History of prior nonskin malignancy was extracted from billing records. Subsequent diagnoses of malignancy were extracted from clinical pathology reports. Risk for subsequent malignancy was compared between patients with and those without prior malignancy and evaluated using multivariate logistic regression including age and history of malignancy.

RESULTS

A total of 5,835 LCS CT studies were included, and 1,243 (21%) were performed on patients with diagnoses of malignancy before CT. For the 4,592 scans performed on patients without histories of malignancy, 87 patients (1.9%) were diagnosed with lung cancer and 68 (1.5%) were diagnosed with nonlung malignancies in the following year. Among patients with histories of malignancy, 17 (1.4%) were diagnosed with lung cancer, and 25 (2%) were diagnosed with nonlung malignancies. Logistic regression for subsequent diagnosis of malignancy (including lung cancer) demonstrated age to be predictive, with an odds ratio of 1.6 per decade (P < .0001); history of malignancy was not predictive of subsequent malignancy (P = .50).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with histories of malignancy referred for LCS have a similar risk for developing lung cancers and extrathoracic malignancies as patients without histories of malignancy. Patients with histories of malignancy who are believed by their referring providers to be at low risk for metastasis should not be excluded from LCS.

Lung Cancer Screening With Low Dose Computed Tomography in Patients With and Without Prior History of Cancer in the National Lung Screening Trial

INTRODUCTION

Patients with a prior history of cancer (PHC) are at increased risk of second primary malignancy, of which lung cancer is the most common. We compared the performance metrics of positive screening rates and cancer detection rates (CDRs) among those with versus without PHC.

METHODS

We conducted a secondary analysis of 26,366 National Lung Screening Trial participants screened with low dose computed tomography between August 2002 and September 2007. We evaluated absolute rates and age-adjusted relative risks (RRs) of positive screening rates on the basis of retrospective Lung CT Screening Reporting & Data System (Lung-RADS) application, invasive diagnostic procedure rate, complication rate, and CDR in those with versus without PHC using a binary logistic regression model using Firth's penalized likelihood. We also compared cancer type, stage, and treatment in those with versus without PHC.

RESULTS

A total of 4.1% (n = 1071) of patients had PHC. Age-adjusted rates of positive findings were similar in those with versus without PHC (Baseline: PHC = 13.7% versus no PHC = 13.3%, RR [95% confidence interval (CI)]: 1.04 [0.88-1.24]; Subsequent: PHC = 5.6% versus no PHC = 5.5%, RR [95% CI]: 1.02 [0.84-1.23]). Age-adjusted CDRs were higher in those with versus without PHC on baseline (PHC=1.9% versus no PHC = 0.8%, RR [95% CI]: 2.51 [1.67-3.81]) but not on subsequent screenings (PHC = 0.6% versus no PHC = 0.4%, RR [95% CI]: 1.37 [0.99-1.93]). There were no differences in cancer stage, type, or treatment by PHC status.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with PHC may benefit from lung cancer screening, and with their providers, should be made aware of the possibility of higher cancer detection, invasive procedures, and complication rates on baseline lung cancer screening, but not on subsequent low dose computed tomography screening examinations.

Second primary malignancies in colorectal cancer patients

The prevalence of second primary malignancies (SPMs) in the western world is continually increasing with the risk of a new primary cancer in patients with previously diagnosed carcinoma at about 20%. The aim of this retrospective analysis is to identify SPMs in colorectal cancer patients in a single-institution cohort, describe the most frequent SPMs in colorectal cancer patients, and discover the time period to occurrence of second primary tumors. We identified 1174 patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer in the period 2003–2013, with follow-up till 31.12.2018, and median follow-up of 10.1 years, (median age 63 years, 724 men). A second primary neoplasm was diagnosed in 234 patients (19.9%). Older age patients, those with early-stage disease and those with no relapse have a higher risk of secondary cancer development. The median time from cancer diagnosis to development of CRC was 8.9 years for breast cancer and 3.4 years for prostate cancer. For the most common cancer diagnosis after primary CRC, the median time to development was 0–5.2 years, depending on the type of malignancy. Patients with a diagnosis of breast, prostate, or kidney cancer, or melanoma should be regularly screened for CRC. CRC patients should also be screened for additional CRC as well as cancers of the breast, prostate, kidney, and bladder. The screening of cancer patients for the most frequent malignancies along with systematic patient education in this field should be the standard of surveillance for colorectal cancer patients.

Survival outcomes in prostate cancer patients with a prior cancer

Background

To shed light on the survival outcomes of prostate cancer (PCa) patients diagnosed after a prior cancer and identify prognostic factors for overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) in PCa patients.

Methods

In the primary group, a total of 1,778 PCa patients with a prior cancer were identified in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database from 2005 to 2015, retrospectively. Baseline characteristics and causes of death (COD) of these patients were collected and compared. In the second group, a total of 10,296 PCa patients [5,148 patients with PCa as the only malignancy and 5,148 patients with PCa as their second primary malignancy (SPM)] diagnosed between 2010 and 2011 were extracted to investigate the impact of prior cancers on survival outcomes.

Results

In PCa patients with a prior cancer, the most common type of prior cancer was from gastrointestinal system (29.92%), followed by urinary system (21.37%). Patients were more likely to die of the prior caner, and those with prior cancer from respiratory system had the worst survival outcomes. Moreover, the overall ratios in patients with stage (PCa) I–II and III–IV diseases were 0.21 and 1.65, indicating that patients with higher stage diseases were more likely to die of PCa. In the second group, patients with PCa as the SPM had worse OS than those with PCa as the first primary cancer. Lastly, prognostic factors for OS and CSS in PCa patients were explored.

Conclusions

PCa remains to be an important COD for patients with a prior malignancy, especially for those with high-stage diseases. PCa patients with a prior cancer had worse survival outcomes than those without.

Survival analysis of second primary malignancies after cervical cancer using a competing risk model: implications for prevention and surveillance

Background

Previous studies have reported an increased risk for second primary malignancies (SPMs) after cervical cancer (CC). This study aims to quantify and assess the risk of developing SPMs in long-term survivors of CC.

Methods

A population-based cohort of CC patients aged 20–79 years was obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. A competing risk model and corresponding nomogram were constructed to predict the 3-, 5-, and 10-year cumulative risks of SPMs. A Fine-Gray plot was created to validate the model. Finally, we performed decision curve analysis (DCA) to evaluate the clinical usefulness of the model by calculating the net benefit.

Results

A total of 34,295 patients were identified, and approximately 6.3% of the study participants developed SPMs. According to the multivariable competing-risk model, older black CC survivors with localized disease who were treated with radiation therapy were more susceptible to SPMs. The 3-, 5-, and 10-year cumulative incidences of SPMs were 2.5%, 3.6%, and 6.2%, respectively. Calibration curves showed good agreement between the predicted and observed models. The DCA yielded a wide range of risk thresholds at which the net benefits could be obtained from our proposed model.

Conclusions

This study provides physicians with a practical, individualized prognostic estimate to assess the risk of SPMs among CC survivors. CC survivors remain at a high risk of developing SPMs, and further surveillance should focus especially on the patients with black race, older age, localized disease, or those having received radiation therapy.

The Impact of Diabetes Mellitus on the Second Primary Malignancies in Colorectal Cancer Patients

Introduction

All colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors have an increased risk of developing second primary malignancies (SPMs). The association between diabetes mellitus (DM) and the risk of cancer is well known. However, the role of DM and its therapy in the development of SPMs in CRC patients is not well described.

Methods

In this single-institutional retrospective analysis we identified 1,174 colorectal carcinoma patients, median follow-up 10.1 years, (median age 63 years, 724 men). All patients over 18 years with histologically confirmed CRC who were admitted in the period 1.1. 2003- 31.12.2013 and followed-up till 31.12. 2018 at the Masaryk Memorial Cancer Institute (MMCI) were screened for eligibility. The exclusion criteria were CRC diagnosed at autopsy, lost to follow-up and high risk of development of SPMs due to hereditary cancer syndrome. Tumours are considered multiple primary malignancies if arising in different sites and/or are of a different histology or morphology group. Comparisons of the basic characteristics between the patients with SPM and the patients without SPM were performed as well as comparison of the occurrence of SPMs by the site of diagnosis between the DM and non-DM cohorts and survival analyses.

Results

A SPM was diagnosed in 234 (20%) patients, DM in 183 (15%) patients. DM was diagnosed in 22.6% of those with SPM vs. in 13.8% of those without SPM (p=0.001). The most common types of SPMs in DM patients were other CRC, kidney, lung, bladder and nonmelanoma skin cancer, but only carcinoma of the liver and bile duct tracts was significantly more common than in the group without DM. Although breast cancer was the second most common in the group with DM, its incidence was lower than in the group without DM, as well as prostate cancer. A significantly higher incidence of SPMs was found in older CRC patients (≥ 65 years) and in those with lower stage colon cancer and DM. No significant difference in DM treatment between those with and without a SPM was observed including analysis of type of insulin.

Conclusion

CRC patients with diabetes mellitus, especially those with older age, and early stages of colon cancer, should be screened for second primary malignancies more often than the standard population. Patients without DM have longer survival. According to the occurrence of the most common second malignancies, a clinical examination, blood count, and ultrasound of the abdomen is appropriate, together with standard breast and colorectal cancer screening, and lung cancer screening under certain conditions, and should be recommended in CRC survivors especially in patients with intercurrent DM, however the necessary frequency of screening remains unclear.

Risk and Prognosis of Secondary Bladder Cancer After Radiation Therapy for Rectal Cancer: A Large Population-Based Cohort Study

Background

Although radiation therapy (RT) improves local control for rectal cancer (RC), the long-term risks from RT, including development of a secondary malignancy, are controversial. The risk and prognosis of secondary bladder cancer (SBC) in RC patients undergoing RT have not been adequately studied. Our goal is to investigate the impact of RT on the risk of developing SBC and assess their survival outcomes.

Methods

This large population-based study included RC patients as their initial primary cancer from nine registries of the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database between 1973 and 2015. The cumulative incidence of SBC was assessed by using Fine and Gray's competing risk regression. The standardized incidence ratio (SIR) was used to compare the incidence of SBC in RC survivors to the US general population. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to evaluate the 10-year overall survival (OS) and 10-year cancer specific survival (CSS) for patients with SBC.

Results

Of 74,646 RC patients, 24,522 patients were treated with surgery and RT and 50,124 patients were treated with surgery alone. The incidence of SBC was 1.85% among patients who received RT and 1.24% among patients who did not. The incidence of SBC in RC patients who received RT was higher than the US general population (SIR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.19-1.53, P<0.05), and decreased with increasing age at diagnosis, and increased with time since diagnosis. In competing risk regression analysis, undergoing RT was associated with a higher risk of SBC (hazard ratio [HR], 1.443, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.209-1.720; P<0.001). The results of the dynamic SIR for SBC revealed that a slightly increased risk of SBC was observed after RT in the early latency, and was significantly related to the variations of age at RC diagnosis and decreased with time progress. The 10-year OS and CSS among SBC patients after RT were comparable to SBC patients after NRT.

Conclusion

Radiation was associated with an increased risk of developing SBC in RC patients, and special attention should be paid to the surveillance of these patients.

Clinical characteristics and overall survival nomogram of second primary malignancies after prostate cancer, a SEER population-based study

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most prevalent cancer among males and the survival period of PCa has been significantly extended. However, the probability of suffering from second primary malignancies (SPMs) has also increased. Therefore, we downloaded SPM samples from the SEER database and then retrospectively analyzed the general characteristics of 34,891 PCa patients diagnosed between 2000 and 2016. After excluding cases with unknown clinical information, 2203 patients were used to construct and validate the overall survival (OS) nomogram of SPM patients after PCa. We found that approximately 3.69% of PCa patients were subsequently diagnosed with SPMs. In addition, the three most prevalent sites of SPM were respiratory and intrathoracic organs, skin, and hematopoietic system. The top three histological types of SPMs were squamous cell carcinoma, adenoma and adenocarcinoma, nevi and melanoma. Through univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis, we found that the site of SPM, age, TNM stage, SPM surgery history, and PCa stage were associated with the OS of SPM. By virtue of these factors, we constructed a nomogram to predict the OS of SPM. The C-index in the training set and validation set were 0.824 (95CI, 0.806-0.842) and 0.862 (95CI, 0.840-0.884), respectively. Furthermore, we plotted the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) and the area under curve (AUC) which showed that our model performed well in assessing the 3-year (0.861 and 0.887) and 5-year (0.837 and 0.842) OS of SPMs in the training and validation set. In summary, we investigated the general characteristics of SPMs and constructed a nomogram to predict the prognosis of SPM following PCa.

Gene expression profiling for the diagnosis of multiple primary malignant tumors

BACKGROUND

The incidence of multiple primary malignant tumors (MPMTs) is rising due to the development of screening technologies, significant treatment advances and increased aging of the population. For patients with a prior cancer history, identifying the tumor origin of the second malignant lesion has important prognostic and therapeutic implications and still represents a difficult problem in clinical practice.

METHODS

In this study, we evaluated the performance of a 90-gene expression assay and explored its potential diagnostic utility for MPMTs across a broad spectrum of tumor types. Thirty-five MPMT patients from Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University and Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center were enrolled; 73 MPMT specimens met all quality control criteria and were analyzed by the 90-gene expression assay.

RESULTS

For each clinical specimen, the tumor type predicted by the 90-gene expression assay was compared with its pathological diagnosis, with an overall accuracy of 93.2% (68 of 73, 95% confidence interval 0.84-0.97). For histopathological subgroup analysis, the 90-gene expression assay achieved an overall accuracy of 95.0% (38 of 40; 95% CI 0.82-0.99) for well-moderately differentiated tumors and 92.0% (23 of 25; 95% CI 0.82-0.99) for poorly or undifferentiated tumors, with no statistically significant difference (p-value > 0.5). For squamous cell carcinoma specimens, the overall accuracy of gene expression assay also reached 87.5% (7 of 8; 95% CI 0.47-0.99) for identifying the tumor origins.

CONCLUSIONS

The 90-gene expression assay provides flexibility and accuracy in identifying the tumor origin of MPMTs. Future incorporation of the 90-gene expression assay in pathological diagnosis will assist oncologists in applying precise treatments, leading to improved care and outcomes for MPMT patients.

Care for Breast Cancer Survivors

The number of cancer survivors is increasing globally. More than 15.5 million Americans in 2016 and 1.3 million Koreans in 2013 were living with cancer history. This growing population is expected to increase due to marked development of cancer treatment and early detection. Especially, breast cancer is the second most common cancer in Korean women with relatively favorable 5-year survival rate. Cancer survivors generally face various physical, psychological, and social problems including late-effect or long-term effect after cancer treatment and high risk for second primary cancer and comorbid chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and bone health. Breast cancer survivors also encounter wide range of health problems. To satisfy their complex needs, comprehensive supports are required. We categorized the strategy of comprehensive care for breast cancer survivors into (1) Surveillance for primary cancer, (2) Screening of second primary cancer, (3) Management of comorbid health condition, (4) Promoting healthy lifestyle behaviors, and (5) Preventive care. In the future, studies for providing best comprehensive care for breast cancer survivors are needed according to the individuals' demand.

Protection against chemotherapy- and radiotherapy-induced side effects: A review based on the mechanisms and therapeutic opportunities of phytochemicals

BACKGROUND

Although great achievements have been made in the field of cancer therapy, chemotherapy and radiotherapy remain the mainstay cancer therapeutic modalities. However, they are associated with various side effects, including cardiocytotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, myelosuppression, neurotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, gastrointestinal toxicity, mucositis, and alopecia, which severely affect the quality of life of cancer patients. Plants harbor a great chemical diversity and flexible biological properties that are well-compatible with their use as adjuvant therapy in reducing the side effects of cancer therapy.

PURPOSE

This review aimed to comprehensively summarize the molecular mechanisms by which phytochemicals ameliorate the side effects of cancer therapies and their potential clinical applications.

METHODS

We obtained information from PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, and Google scholar, and introduced the molecular mechanisms by which chemotherapeutic drugs and irradiation induce toxic side effects. Accordingly, we summarized the underlying mechanisms of representative phytochemicals in reducing these side effects.

RESULTS

Representative phytochemicals exhibit a great potential in reducing the side effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy due to their broad range of biological activities, including antioxidation, antimutagenesis, anti-inflammation, myeloprotection, and immunomodulation. However, since a majority of the phytochemicals have only been subjected to preclinical studies, clinical trials are imperative to comprehensively evaluate their therapeutic values.

CONCLUSION

This review highlights that phytochemicals have interesting properties in relieving the side effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Future studies are required to explore the clinical benefits of these phytochemicals for exploitation in chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Clinical and molecular characterization of thyroid cancer when seen as a second malignant neoplasm

BACKGROUND

Second malignant neoplasms (SMN) are among the most serious long-term adverse health conditions in cancer survivors. The aim of this study was to characterize clinical findings of patients who developed thyroid cancers as SMN, and to examine genomic alterations in thyroid cancer tissue.

METHODS

Retrospective analysis of medical records from patients seen for management of thyroid cancer over 10-year period was performed. Clinical and pathologic data were retrieved from their medical charts. Tumor DNA and RNA were extracted from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue and subjected to next-generation sequencing (NGS) using Ion Torrent Oncomine Focus Assay. Microfluidic digital polymerase chain reactions (PCRs) were performed using QIAcuity Digital PCR System to identify BRAF ^V600E mutations and RET/PTC fusions.

RESULTS

Sixteen of 620 patients operated for thyroid cancer had history of previously diagnosed malignancy. Eight patients were male and eight patients were female, with a median age at diagnosis of 58.5 years (range, 4-78). Four patients had history of pediatric malignancy (PedCa), and 12 patients had a history of prior malignancy as an adult (AdCa). The latency periods for development of SMN in PedCa and AdCa patients were 10.8 (±5.2) years and 9.5 (±5.2) years, respectively. Histopathology revealed papillary thyroid cancers in 15 cases, and follicular thyroid cancer in 1 case. All tumors were classified as T1 or T2, and there were no patients presenting with metastases at the time of surgery. Genomic alterations were detected in 13/16 (81.2%) tumors including eight gene mutations (BRAF ^V600E (N = 4), RAS (N = 2), PI3CA (N = 2) and five gene fusions (RET/PTC1 (N = 4) and STRN/ALK (N = 1). In patients with PedCa and AdCa, mutations were detected in 1/4 (25%) and 7/12 (58.3%), respectively, p = 0.56; and fusions were detected in 3/4 (75%) and 2/12 (16.6%), respectively, p = 0.06. In patients with and without history of therapeutic irradiation, mutations were detected with the same frequencies (5/10 (50%), and 3/6 (50%), respectively, p = 1.0). Gene fusions were detected in patients with and without history of irradiation in 5/10 (55.5%) and 0/6 (0%), respectively, p = 0.09.

CONCLUSIONS

Monitoring of cancer survivors for thyroid disorders allowed diagnosis of second thyroid cancers at early stages. Second thyroid cancers harbor genomic alterations that are typical for sporadic as well as for radio-induced thyroid cancers.

Trends in Participation Rates of the National Cancer Screening Program among Cancer Survivors in Korea

Simple Summary

Cancer survivors with a fear of cancer recurrence and a second, primary cancer after treatment take part in cancer screening as a self-care strategy. In other countries, the need for cancer screening guidelines for cancer survivors was identified by the participation rates of cancer screening among cancer survivors. However, there is no report of cancer screening practices among cancer survivors in Korea. Therefore, this study explored the participation rates of the cancer screening program among cancer survivors. The results of this study provide information on how many cancer survivors were screened for cancer and indicate the need for appropriate cancer screening guidelines for cancer survivors.

Abstract

The study aimed to describe the participation rates of the National Cancer Screening Program (NCSP) among cancer survivors in Korea. The NCSP protocol recommends that all Korean men and women should be screened for cancer. Cancer survivors were defined as those registered for any cancer in the Korea Central Cancer Registry by December 31 of the year prior to being included in the target population of the NCSP. In this study, the participation rates for the NCSP were calculated as the percentage of people who participated in four kinds of cancer screening programs, independently. The average annual percentage change was assessed. The participation rates of the general population and cancer survivors were higher than 40% in stomach, breast, and cervical cancer screening. These rates were higher than that of colorectal cancer screening in 2014. In addition, the participation rates in the NCSP in 2002–2014 increased for all cancer types. The NCSP participation rates of the cancer survivors indicate the high demand for cancer screening. Further research may investigate the effect of the NCSP on second cancer occurrence or mortality in cancer survivors and the significance of cancer screening guidelines for cancer survivors.

Management of Pulmonary Nodules in Oncologic Patients: AJR Expert Panel Narrative Review

Cancer survivors are at higher risk than the general population for development of a new primary malignancy, most commonly lung cancer. Current lung cancer screening guidelines recommend low-dose chest CT for high-risk individuals, including patients with a history of cancer and a qualifying smoking history. However, major lung cancer screening trials have inconsistently included cancer survivors, and few studies have assessed management of lung nodules in this population. This narrative review highlights relevant literature and provides expert opinion for management of pulmonary nodules detected incidentally or by screening in oncologic patients. In patients with previously treated lung cancer, a new nodule most likely represents distant metastasis from the initial lung cancer or a second primary lung cancer; CT features such as nodule size and composition should guide decisions regarding biopsy, PET/CT, and CT surveillance. In patients with extrapulmonary cancers, nodule management requires individualized risk assessment; smoking is associated with increased odds of primary lung cancer, whereas specific primary cancer types are associated with increased odds of pulmonary metastasis. Nonneoplastic causes, such as infection, medication toxicity, and postradiation or postsurgical change, should also be considered. Future prospective studies are warranted to provide evidence-based data to assist clinical decision-making in this context.

Characteristics and Outcomes of Lung Cancer Screening Among Individuals With or Without Cancer History

BACKGROUND

Lung cancer screening with low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) can reduce mortality from lung cancer. Individuals with previous malignancy are at an increased risk of lung cancer but are often underrepresented in clinical trials. This study compares the outcomes of LDCT screening among individuals with and without cancer history.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study cohort included consecutive participants undergoing LDCT screening at a tertiary care cancer institution. Abnormal screening result was defined as having Lung-RADS 3 or 4 at baseline (T0). Participant information was prospectively collected and predicted risk of lung cancer was calculated per the PLCOm2012 model.

RESULTS

A total of 454 participants underwent LDCT screening. Abnormal screening result occurred in 57 (13.2%) participants at T0, and lung cancer was diagnosed in 11 (2.4%) participants. Among 153 individuals with cancer history, abnormal result occurred in 9.8%, compared with 15.4% among those without cancer history (P = .11). Lung cancer was diagnosed in 1.3%, compared with 3.5% (P = .22). The predicted risk of lung cancer at 6 years was higher among individuals with cancer history than those without: 4.8% versus 2.2% (P < .001). In a multivariable analysis, cancer history significantly reduced the likelihood of abnormal screening (odds ratio, 0.49; 95% confidence interval, 0.26-0.94; P = .03). We observed a higher proportion of participants who had a previous CT scan available for comparison at T0 among individuals with cancer history than those without: 43.1% versus 9.1% (P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

In this single-institutional study, individuals with cancer history were significantly less likely to have abnormal screening results than those without cancer history.

Clinic image surveillance reduces mortality in patients with primary hepato-gastrointestinal cancer who develop second primary lung cancer: A STROBE-compliant retrospective study

Second primary cancer is prevalent in patients with gastrointestinal (GI) cancer, for which lung cancer is the most common and associated with high lethality. Image screening for lung cancer was proved to be effective in early diagnosis and lower mortality. However, trials of screen for lung cancer generally excluded patients with a previous diagnosis of malignancy. The study aimed to investigate the outcome of second primary lung cancer and the factor that improve survival in patients with hepato-GI cancer.A total of 276 patients with secondary lung cancer were found among 3723 newly-diagnosed lung cancer patients diagnosed in Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, between 2010 and 2014. Patients' clinical characteristics, stages and survival were recorded and analyzed. The patients were separated into 2 groups: Group I was defined as lung cancer detected in original primary cancer clinic and group II patients defined as lung cancer detected in other medical places.Sixty-nine cases with primary GI-hepatic and secondary lung cancer were diagnosed (42 (60.8%) in Group I and 27 (39.1%) in Group II). Although both groups had comparable primary cancer stages and treatment, more patients in Group I than Group II were diagnosed as early stage lung cancer (stage I-II: 40.5% vs 11.1%; P = .023). Group II had larger lung tumor sizes than Group I (4.7 vs 3.5 cm; P = .025). Group I showed better 5-year overall survival than Group II (P = .014, median survival: 27 vs 10 months). Among Group II, only 37% had received image follow up in clinic compared with 67% of Group I cases (P = .025). Patients with chest image follow up in clinics also had better 5-year overall survival (P = .043).GI-hepatic cancer was the most common primary malignancy in the lung cancer cohort. Patients had better survival outcome when secondary lung cancer was diagnosed in original primary cancer clinic. Chest image screening strategy may contribute better survival in secondary lung cancer due to detection at an earlier stage.

Imaging-Based Subtypes of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Exhibit Differential Growth and Metabolic Patterns in the Pre-Diagnostic Period: Implications for Early Detection

BACKGROUND

Previously, we characterized subtypes of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) on computed-tomography (CT) scans, whereby conspicuous (high delta) PDAC tumors are more likely to have aggressive biology and poorer clinical outcomes compared to inconspicuous (low delta) tumors. Here, we hypothesized that these imaging-based subtypes would exhibit different growth-rates and distinctive metabolic effects in the period prior to PDAC diagnosis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Retrospectively, we evaluated 55 patients who developed PDAC as a second primary cancer and underwent serial pre-diagnostic (T0) and diagnostic (T1) CT-scans. We scored the PDAC tumors into high and low delta on T1 and, serially, obtained the biaxial measurements of the pancreatic lesions (T0-T1). We used the Gompertz-function to model the growth-kinetics and estimate the tumor growth-rate constant (α) which was used for tumor binary classification, followed by cross-validation of the classifier accuracy. We used maximum-likelihood estimation to estimate initiation-time from a single cell (10^-6 mm³) to a 10 mm³ tumor mass. Finally, we serially quantified the subcutaneous-abdominal-fat (SAF), visceral-abdominal-fat (VAF), and muscles volumes (cm³) on CT-scans, and recorded the change in blood glucose (BG) levels. T-test, likelihood-ratio, Cox proportional-hazards, and Kaplan-Meier were used for statistical analysis and p-value <0.05 was considered significant.

RESULTS

Compared to high delta tumors, low delta tumors had significantly slower average growth-rate constants (0.024 month^-1 vs. 0.088 month^-1, p<0.0001) and longer average initiation-times (14 years vs. 5 years, p<0.0001). α demonstrated high accuracy (area under the curve (AUC)=0.85) in classifying the tumors into high and low delta, with an optimal cut-off of 0.034 month^-1. Leave-one-out-cross-validation showed 80% accuracy in predicting the delta-class (AUC=0.84). High delta tumors exhibited accelerated SAF, VAF, and muscle wasting (p <0.001), and BG disturbance (p<0.01) compared to low delta tumors. Patients with low delta tumors had better PDAC-specific progression-free survival (log-rank, p<0.0001), earlier stage tumors (p=0.005), and higher likelihood to receive resection after PDAC diagnosis (p=0.008), compared to those with high delta tumors.

CONCLUSION

Imaging-based subtypes of PDAC exhibit distinct growth, metabolic, and clinical profiles during the pre-diagnostic period. Our results suggest that heterogeneous disease biology may be an important consideration in early detection strategies for PDAC.

Survivorship in AML - a landmark analysis on the outcomes of acute myelogenous leukemia patients after maintaining complete remission for at least 3 years

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) carries poor survival and high recurrence rate. We conducted a retrospective analysis of AML patients (N = 453) treated with chemotherapy only or chemotherapy + hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) who maintained their first complete remission (CR) for ≥3 years. Prior comorbidities, new comorbidities, secondary malignancies, late relapse, and causes of death (COD) were documented. New comorbidities for chemotherapy only patients (n = 304) included renal disease (10%), and osteopenia/osteoporosis (38%) for HCT patients (n = 149). Incidence of hypertension was similar in the chemotherapy only cohort and chemotherapy + HCT cohort (14% vs 17%). Secondary malignancies occurred in 13%, commonly skin, prostate and breast cancers. Common COD included: secondary malignancy (4%), HCT complications (3%), and late relapses (5%). Overall, 12% had a late relapse. Median overall survival for chemotherapy only and HCT was 10.7 and 12.7 years, respectively. Long-term AML survivors need routine monitoring for comorbidities, secondary malignancies, and late relapses.

Second primary malignancy in myelofibrosis patients treated with ruxolitinib

Ruxolitinib (RUX), the first JAK1/JAK2 inhibitor approved for myelofibrosis (MF) therapy, has recently been associated with the occurrence of second primary malignancies (SPMs), mainly lymphomas and non-melanoma skin cancers (NMSCs). We analyzed the incidence, risk factors and outcome of SPMs in 700 MF patients treated with RUX in a real-world context. Median follow-up from starting RUX was 2·9 years. Overall, 80 (11·4%) patients developed 87 SPMs after RUX start. NMSCs were the most common SPMs (50·6% of the cases). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that male sex [hazard ratio (HR): 2·37, 95% confidence interval (95%CI): 1·22-4·60, P = 0·01] and thrombocytosis> 400 × 10⁹ /l at RUX start (HR:1·98, 95%CI: 1·10-4·60, P = 0·02) were associated with increased risk for SPMs. Risk factors for NMSC alone were male sex (HR: 3·14, 95%CI: 1·24-7·92, P = 0·02) and duration of hydroxycarbamide and RUX therapy > 5 years (HR: 3·20, 95%CI: 1·17-8·75, P = 0·02 and HR: 2·93, 95%CI: 1·39-6·17, P = 0·005 respectively). In SPMs excluding NMSCs, male sex (HR: 2·41, 95%CI: 1·11-5·25, P = 0·03), platelet > 400 × 10⁹ /l (HR: 3·30, 95%CI: 1·67-6·50, P = 0·001) and previous arterial thromboses (HR: 3·47, 95%CI: 1·48-8·14, P = 0·004) were shown to be associated with higher risk of SPMs. While it is reassuring that no aggressive lymphoma was documented, active skin surveillance is recommended in all patients and particularly after prolonged hydroxycaramide therapy; oncological screening should be triggered by thrombocytosis and arterial thrombosis, particularly in males.

Risk and Prognosis of Secondary Rectal Cancer After Radiation Therapy for Pelvic Cancer

Background

The relationship between pelvic radiation therapy (RT) and second primary rectal cancer (SPRC) is unclear. The aim of this study was to assess the risk and prognosis of SPRC after pelvic RT.

Materials and Methods

Data for patients who had primary pelvic cancer (PPC) between 1973 and 2016 were retrieved from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Multiple primary standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) were used to assess the risk of SPRC. Five-year overall survival (OS) and rectal cancer-specific survival (RCSS) were calculated using Kaplan–Meier curves.

Results

A total of 573,306 PPC patients were included, 141,225 of whom had been treated with RT. Primary cancers were located in the prostate (50.83%), bladder (24.18%), corpus uterus (16.26%), cervix (5.83%), and ovary (2.91%). A total of 1,491 patients developed SPRC. Overall, the patients who received RT were at increased risk of developing SPRC (SIR = 1.39, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.27–1.52). The risk of SPRC decreased in patients who did not undergo RT (SIR = 0.85, 95% CI: 0.80–0.91). The SIR for SPRC in patients who underwent external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) was 1.22 (95% CI: 1.09–1.36). The SIR for SPRC in patients who underwent a combination of EBRT and brachytherapy (EBRT–BRT) was 1.85 (95% CI: 1.60–2.14). For patients who received RT, the SIR for SPRC increased with time after a 5-year latency period from PPC diagnosis. The survival of RT-treated SPRC patients was significantly worse than that of patients with primary rectal cancer only (PRCO).

Conclusions

Patients receiving pelvic RT were at an increased risk of developing SPRC. Different pelvic RT treatment modalities had different effects on the risk of SPRC. We suggest that long-term surveillance of SPRC risk is required for patients who have undergone pelvic RT, especially young patients.

Cytogenetic abnormalities in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma as a secondary primary malignancy: a retrospective study

Objectives: Multiple myeloma (MM) often develops as a secondary primary malignancy (SPM). The retinoblastoma susceptibility gene (RB1) was the first tumour suppressor gene to be identified. We pooled and analyzed available data to compare the incidence of RB1 gene deletions and other cytogenetic abnormalities in patients with MM alone or as an SPM.Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of 475 patients. The experimental group comprised 18 patients with MM as an SPM, and the control group comprised 457 MM patients. We analyzed the baseline information in both groups, and used the odds ratio (OR), 95% confidence interval (CI), and forest plot to determine the incidence of SPMs with and without cytogenetic abnormalities.Results: The incidence of RB1 gene deletion was higher in the experimental group. There was no significant difference in other cytogenetic abnormalities.Conclusions: RB1 gene deletions appear to be associated with MM that develops as an SPM.

Healthy Behaviors: Prevalence of Uptake Among Cancer Survivors

BACKGROUND

Although most cancer survivors adhere to recommendations to refrain from tobacco and minimize alcohol use, survivors of certain cancers are not meeting these recommendations. In addition, most cancer survivors do not achieve optimal recommendations for diet and physical activity, further decreasing survivor health and quality of life. Sun protective and sleep behaviors also tend to be suboptimal among survivors. Uptake of age-appropriate vaccinations is variable among survivors.

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this article is to review the prevalence of healthy behavior uptake among cancer survivors and provide nurses with an overview of effective interventions, strategies, and resources to help patients improve these behaviors.

METHODS

An expert panel was convened to conduct an integrative review and synthesis on the state of the science of healthy behavior uptake among cancer survivors.

FINDINGS

Not meeting recommendations for healthy lifestyle behaviors increases the risk of second cancers and mortality and decreases overall health and quality of life. Healthy lifestyle behaviors can contribute to improved function, quality of life, and overall survival for cancer survivors. Nurses can help survivors to understand and improve their behaviors.

The impact of previous cancer on overall survival of bladder cancer patients and the establishment of nomogram for overall survival prediction

To investigate the role of previous cancer on overall survival in patients with bladder cancer (BCa) and to establish an effective prognostic tool for individualized overall survival prediction.A total of 78,660 patients diagnosed with BCa between 2000 and 2013 were selected from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database, among which 8915 patients had a history of other cancers. We compared the overall survival between patients with and without previous cancer after propensity score matching and we further established a nomogram for overall survival prediction.Univariate and multivariate Cox analyses were used to determine independent prognostic factors. The calibration curve and concordance index (C-index) were used to assess the accuracy of the nomogram. Cox proportional hazards models and Kaplan-Meier analysis were used to compare survival outcomes.BCa patients with previous cancer had worse overall survival compared with those without previous cancer (HR = 1.37; 95%CI = 1.32-1.42, P < .001). Cancers in lung prior to BCa had the most adverse impact on overall survival (HR = 2.35; 95%CI = 2.10-2.63; P < .001), and the minimal impact was located in prostate (HR = 1.16; 95%CI = 1.10-1.22; P < .001) for male and in gynecological (HR = 1.15; 95%CI = 1.02-1.30; P = .027) for female. The shorter interval time between 2 cancers and the higher stage of the previous cancer development, the higher risk of death. Age, race, sex, marital status, surgery, radiation, grade, stage, type of previous cancer as the independent prognostic factors were selected into the nomogram. The favorable calibration curve and C-index value (0.784, 95%CI = 0.782-0.786) indicated the nomogram could accurately predict the 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival rate of BCa patients.Previous cancer has a negative impact on the overall survival of BCa patients and requires more effective clinical management. The nomogram provides accurate survival prediction for BCa patients and might be helpful for clinical treatment selection and follow-up strategy adjustment.

The Risk of Developing Multiple Primary Cancers among Long-Term Survivors Five Years or More after Stomach Carcinoma Resection

Recently, the number of long-term survivors of ≥ 5 years after stomach carcinoma resection is increasing in Japan. The clinical courses of 4,883 patients who underwent stomach carcinoma resection were retrospectively reviewed to investigate the cause of death including multiple primary cancers (MPC) and delayed stomach carcinoma recurrence among long-term survivors of ≥ 5 years. Of 3,061 patients who survived for ≥ 5 years, 1,203 patients (39.3%) were dead after 5 years survival, including 299 patients (24.9%) who died of MPC. Of 84 patients (7.0%) who died of recurrent stomach carcinoma, 25 patients were newly diagnosed ≥ 5 years postoperative. The most common site of MPC was lung in 124 patients, and 347 patients (44.7%) had a smoking-related MPC, including 124 lung, 63 esophagus, 62 head and neck, and 98 other cancers. We examined the prognostic differences in 527 patients with MPC according to the diagnosis time. In 325 patients of long-term survivors in whom MPC was diagnosed ≥ 5 years postoperative, 5-year survival rate and the median survival time after diagnosis were 35.1% and 17.7 months, respectively. This outcome was significantly poorer than that of 160 patients in whom MPC was diagnosed within 5 years postoperative (58.5% and 62.7 months, P < 0.0001). In conclusion, MPC accounted for approximately a quarter of the cause of death in long-term survivors. Lifestyle instructions including smoking cessation are important. Periodical cancer screening allows the early asymptomatic diagnosis and may contribute to a decrease in cancer mortality of MPC in long-term cancer survivors.

Impact of a Prior Nonpancreatic Malignancy on Survival Outcomes of Patients With Stage IV Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumor: A Population-Based and Propensity Score Matching Study

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of a previous nonpancreatic malignancy on the survival outcomes in patients with a stage IV pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor (PanNET).

METHODS

The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database was reviewed, and patients diagnosed with a stage IV PanNET between 2004 and 2015 were selected. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to the presence or absence of a previous nonpancreatic malignancy. Clinicopathological characteristics and survival outcomes were compared.

RESULTS

A total of 1582 patients with stage IV PanNET were identified, of whom 116 (7.3%) had a prior malignancy. Prostate (33.62%), breast (17.24%), and gastrointestinal (12.07%) malignancies were the most common. Most prior malignancies (84.48%) were localized and regional. Patients with intervals of 36 months or less, 36 to 60 months, 60 to 120 months, and more than 120 months account for 25.86%, 14.66%, 31.03%, and 28.45% of all cases, respectively. Before and after propensity score matching, there was no significant difference detected regarding survival outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Stage IV PanNET patients with a history of a prior cancer had comparable survival outcomes with patients without such history. These patients could be candidates for clinical trials if otherwise appropriate, and aggressive and potentially curative therapies should be offered.

Incidence of second primary malignancies in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: results from observational studies in three countries

Aim: This reports some of the first incidence rate (IR) estimates of second primary malignancies (SPMs) in men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) in three countries. Patients & methods: Claims data from the German Pharmacoepidemiological Research Database; registry data from the Prostate Cancer Data Base Sweden; and combined registry-claims data from the US Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results-Medicare database were analyzed to obtain overall survival and incidence of SPMs in men with mCRPC. Results: SPMs occurred in 308 German (n = 2360), 273 Swedish (n = 2849) and 172 US (n = 2234) men with mCRPC. IRs of SPMs were 79.0 (95% CI: 70.4–88.4), 101.7 (95% CI: 90.3–114.5) and 59 (95% CI: 50–68) per 1000 person-years in German, Swedish and US cohorts, respectively. Conclusion: These studies report some of the first IR estimates of SPMs in men with mCRPC, providing a historical risk estimate of SPM in this patient population.

NCCN Guidelines Insights: Survivorship, Version 2.2020

The NCCN Guidelines for Survivorship provide screening, evaluation, and treatment recommendations for consequences of adult-onset cancer and its treatment, with the goal of helping healthcare professionals who work with survivors, including those in primary care. The guidelines also provide recommendations to help clinicians promote physical activity, weight management, and proper immunizations in survivors and facilitate care coordination to ensure that all of the survivors' needs are addressed. These NCCN Guidelines Insights summarize additions and changes made to the guidelines in 2020 regarding cardiovascular disease risk assessment and screening for subsequent primary malignancies.

Lung cancer screening in patients with previous malignancy: Is this cohort at increased risk for malignancy?

OBJECTIVES

To determine the rate of second primary lung cancer (SPLC) and describe the clinical characteristics and radiological findings in individuals with a prior history of cancer presenting to a low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) lung cancer screening program at a tertiary cancer center.

METHODS

Patients with a previous history of malignancy, a life expectancy ≥ 5 years referred for CT lung cancer screening between May 2, 2011, and November 28, 2018, were included. Demographics regarding risk factors including smoking history and prior history of thoracic radiation were collected. CT scan features assessed nodule size, morphologic features, and number. The Lung-CT Reporting and Data System (Lung-RADS) scoring system was retrospectively applied to studies performed before October 2014 and prospectively applied to remainder of studies. Data was collected in a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)-compliant manner.

RESULTS

A total of 543 patients were studied (mean age of 66 years). All had a previous history of cancer, most commonly breast cancer 205 (38%), head and neck cancer 105 (19%), and lung cancer 87 (16%). Of screening CTs performed, 17.5% were positive screening study results as per Lung-RADS scoring system. SPLC was diagnosed in 35 patients (6.4%) with 21 prevalence cancers detected and 14 interval cancers detected in subsequent screening rounds.

CONCLUSIONS

The rate of screen-detected SPLC in patients with prior malignancy is higher than reported rates seen in historical prospective screening studies. Our study suggests the need for prospective research to evaluate any mortality benefit that screening may have in this population.

KEY POINTS

• The rate of screen-detected second primary lung cancer in patients with prior malignancy is higher than reported rates seen in historical prospective randomized lung cancer screening studies in a general screened population. • Patients with a prior malignancy undergoing lung cancer screening have higher rates of positive screening studies and higher rates of invasive diagnostic procedures than those reported in a general screening population. • Prospective research is required to evaluate if screening offers a mortality benefit in this population.

Moving away from systematic biopsies: image-guided prostate biopsy (in-bore biopsy, cognitive fusion biopsy, MRUS fusion biopsy) -literature review

OBJECTIVE

To compare the detection rate of clinically significant cancer (CSCa) by magnetic resonance imaging-targeted biopsy (MRI-TB) with that by standard systematic biopsy (SB) and to evaluate the role of MRI-TB as a replacement from SB in men at clinical risk of prostate cancer.

METHODS

The non-systematic literature was searched for peer-reviewed English-language articles using PubMed, including the prospective paired studies, where the index test was MRI-TB and the comparator text was SB. Also the randomized clinical trials (RCTs) are included if one arm was MRI-TB and another arm was SB.

RESULTS

Eighteen prospective studies used both MRI-TB and TRUS-SB, and eight RCT received one of the tests for prostate cancer detection. In most prospective trials to compare MRI-TB vs. SB, there was no significant difference in any cancer detection rate; however, MRI-TB detected more men with CSCa and fewer men with CISCa than SB.

CONCLUSION

MRI-TB is superior to SB in detection of CSCa. Since some significant cancer was detected by SB only, a combination of SB with the TB technique would avoid the underdiagnosis of CSCa.

Natural killer cell mobilization and egress following acute exercise in men with prostate cancer

NEW FINDINGS

What is the central question of this study? What are the characteristics of the NK cell response following acute moderate-intensity aerobic exercise in prostate cancer survivors and is there a relationship between stress hormones and NK cell mobilization? What is the main finding and its importance? NK cell numbers and proportions changed similarly between prostate cancer survivors and controls following acute exercise. Consecutive training sessions can likely be used without adverse effects on the immune system during prostate cancer treatment.

ABSTRACT

Prostate cancer treatment affects multiple physiological systems, although the immune response during exercise has been minimally investigated. The objective was to characterize the natural killer (NK) cell response following acute exercise in prostate cancer survivors. Prostate cancer survivors on androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and those without (PCa) along with non-cancer controls (CON) completed a moderate intensity cycling bout. NK cells were phenotyped before and 0, 2 and 24 h after acute exercise using flow cytometry. CD56 total NK cell frequency increased by 6.2% at 0 h (P < 0.001) and decreased by 2.5% at 2 h (P < 0.01) with similar findings in CD56^dim cells. NK cell counts also exhibited a biphasic response. Independent of exercise, ADT had intracellular interferon γ (IFNγ) expression that was nearly twofold higher than CON (P < 0.01). PCa perforin expression was reduced by 11.4% (P < 0.05), suggesting these cells may be more prone to degranulation. CD57^- NK cells demonstrated increased perforin and IFNγ frequencies after exercise with no change within the CD57⁺ populations. All NK and leukocyte populations returned to baseline by 24 h. NK cell mobilization and egress with acute exercise appear normal, as cell counts and frequencies in prostate cancer survivors change similarly to CON. However, lower perforin proportions (PCa) and higher IFNγ expression (ADT) may alter NK cytotoxicity and require further investigation. The return of NK cell proportions to resting levels overnight suggests that consecutive training sessions can be used without adverse effects on the immune system during prostate cancer treatment.

Risk of Second Primary Malignancies in Colon Cancer Patients Treated With Colectomy

Background: Second primary malignancy (SPM) attracts a growing attention. However, the clinical features of colon cancer (CC) survivors with SPMs are not clear and could help guide clinicians to develop a better surveillance strategy.

Methods: We reviewed 56,930 CC survivors treated with colectomy from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database during 1998–2011. Competing risk models and nomograms were conducted for predicting the risk of occurring SPMs. The clinical utility of the models was measured by decision curve analysis (DCA) using net benefit approaches.

Results: Five thousand thirteen (17.1%) of male patients developed SPMs and sites of SPMs included prostate (32.2%), lung and bronchus (11.6%), urinary bladder and kidney (10.8%), colon (10.0%), and melanoma of the skin (3.9%), while 3,592 (13.0%) of female patients occurred SPMs and sites of SPMs involved breast (25.8%), lung and bronchus (13.6%), colon (11.6%), uterus (8.2%), urinary bladder, and kidney (5.6%). Survivors with a second carcinoma of lung and bronchus showed the worst prognosis. Older age increased the risk of SPMs in both male (Subdistribution hazard ratio =2.85 [95% confidence interval = 2.53–3.21]) and female (1.80 [1.59–2.04]) survivors, especially for the risk of a second prostate carcinoma in male (5.33 [4.03–7.03]). Compared with white race, black male survivors remained at higher risk to develop the second prostate carcinoma (1.98 [1.74–2.26]). Competing-risk nomograms for CC survivors were established to help clinicians predict the probabilities of overall SPMs and prostate carcinoma. Validation of nomograms showed good discrimination and accuracy, and DCAs revealed the clinical effectiveness.

Conclusions: We profiled the clinical characteristics of a large population-based cohort of CC survivors with SPMs. These features may improve future follow-up management, especially for the surveillance of second prostate cancer in men and second breast cancer in women.

Life-long follow-up of second primary lung and extra-pulmonary cancer in lung cancer patients is needed

Background: Lung cancer (LC) patients are at high risk of developing second primary cancer (SPC). This study aimed to explore the risk factors associated with SPC and provide an individualized risk prediction model for LC patients. Methods: Initial primary lung cancer (IPLC) patients diagnosed between 1998 and 2011 were identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. A Fine-Gray multivariate competing-risk model was used to estimate the risk of SPC, and the model was assessed regarding discrimination and calibration. A nomogram was designed for clinical convenience to predict the 3-, 5-, and 10- year probabilities of developing SPCs. Results: A total of 142,491 IPLC patients were considered in this study and 14,374(10.01%) developed SPC within a maximum study period of approximately 19 years. Seven independent prognostic factors were identified according to the competing-risk model, and the SEER summary stage and surgery were the strongest predictors. The model was well calibrated and had good discrimination ability(C-index = 0.746). Conclusions: LC survivors had an increased risk of SPC and factors associated with good prognosis often predicted SPC. Consideration should be given to increasing the duration of routine follow-up even after 10 years of initial diagnosis for those at the highest risk and site-specific follow-up strategy is also required.

Multiple primary malignancies involving lung cancer: a single-center experience

OBJECTIVE

Currently, unlike earlier years, patients affected by multiple primary malignancies (MPM) are significantly increased, thus representing a clinical-pathologic category worthy of attention. Their clinical features and prognosis still need to be studied thoroughly, and this is the aim of our study.

METHODS

Patients with MPM involving lung cancer admitted in our center between January 2006 and December 2016 were considered. Parametric and nonparametric testing was used for statistical comparisons. Univariate and multivariate analysis was used to evaluate the variables associated with a prognostic value.

RESULTS

MPM incidence was 19.8%. Among the 222 patients with MPM enrolled, 204 (91.8%) had two malignancies, while 18 (8.2%) had three malignancies, 38 (17.1%) were synchronous, 41 (18.5%) had lung cancer first (LCF) and 181 (81.5%) had other cancer first (OCF). A significant difference between the time of first cancer diagnosis to the second cancer diagnosis in the LCF vs OCF group was found (median 32 vs 51 months; p-value: 0.038). The most frequent anatomical sites of malignancies preceding or following lung cancer were prostate, colorectal, bladder, and larynx. Multivariate analysis revealed that sex, histologic pattern, and time and order of occurrence were independent factors for overall survival, with male sex, squamous cell lung carcinoma, synchronous and LCF MPM significantly associated with poorer overall survival.

CONCLUSIONS

Prostate, colorectal, bladder, and larynx were the most frequent anatomical sites of malignancies preceding or following lung cancer. Male sex, squamous cell lung carcinoma, synchronous and LCF MPM might be associated with poorer prognosis.

R-CHOP appears to be the best first-line treatment for second primary diffuse large B cell lymphoma: a cancer registry study

Second primary diffuse large B cell lymphoma (spDLBCL) is defined as a metachronous tumor occurring after a first primary cancer. To date, while R-CHOP is the standard first-line treatment for de novo DLBCL, no available data show that R-CHOP is the optimal treatment for spDLBCL. This exploratory study aimed to investigate treatment of spDLBCL. From 2008 to 2015, the Poitou-Charentes general cancer registry recorded 68 cases of spDLBCL ≤ 80 years old, having received a first-line treatment with either R-CHOP (78%) or other regimens (22%). Patients without R-CHOP have worse overall survival in univariate (HR 2.89 [1.33-6.24], P = 0.007) and multivariate (HR 2.98 [1.34-6.67], P = 0.008) analyses. Patients without R-CHOP more frequently had PS > 1 (67% vs. 28%, P = 0.007) and prior chemotherapy (60% vs. 26%, P = 0.02), which suggests that both of these factors influence a clinician's decision to not use R-CHOP. Prior chemotherapy had no prognostic impact in univariate and multivariate analyses; this result could call into question the risk-benefit balance of not using R-CHOP to prevent toxicity. In our study, one DLBCL out of ten occurred after a first primary cancer, and as regards de novo DLBCL, R-CHOP appeared to be the best first-line treatment. Larger series are needed to confirm these results.