Abstract
Recent advances in the diagnosis and treatment of head and neck malignancies seem to have increased the chances of finding multiple primary cancers.
Of the 220 patients with head and neck malignancies, treated in Shizuoka Red Cross Hospital from November, 1989 to October, 1994, 23 (10.5%) had multiple primary malignancies. The mean age of the 23 patients was 64.2 years and the male to female ratio was 4.8:1. Sixteen cancers developed metachronously and 4 synchronously. The most frequent site of second malignancies was the digestive tract, particularly the esophagus.
We shoud pay attention to the possibility of multiple malignant tumors. Endoscopic examination of the upper digestive tract with Lugol's solution staining is recommended for all patients with head and neck malignancies.
