1987 Volume 78 Issue 3 Pages 242-250
Non-simultaneous primary malignant tumors in five different organs were detected in a case of cancer family syndrome, and the patient's offspring were found to have colorectal cancers during follow-up. The first cancer in the patient was found in the transverse colon at the age of 47, and partial colectomy was carried out. The second and third were cancers of the cecum and gallbladder which were found concurrently at the age of 61, and ileocecal resection and cholecystectomy were carried out simultaneously. The fourth was cancer of the urinary bladder which was found at the age of 66, and partial cystectomy with interstitial irradiation using a radon seed in the residual urinary bladder was carried out. The fifth was cancer of the stomach at the age of 72, and subtotal gastrectomy was carried out. All of the resected specimens were demonstrated to be different carcinomas histologically. The father and 5 of the 7 siblings of this patient suffered from gastrointestinal or uterine cancers. Furthermore, two daughters of this patient were affected with cancer; the younger with cancer of the descending colon at the age of 47, and the elder with cancers of the transverse colon and rectum at the age of 54. Thus, familial clustering of cancer was shown. Genetic characteristics may have contributed to the development of multiple primary cancers in this family.
