Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) patients have an increased risk of developing other malignancies. Understanding the characteristics of the second primary cancer is important to establish an effective surveillance program.
Methods: This study investigated 301 CRC patients to assess the risk factors for postoperative primary cancers arising from organs distinct from the colorectal area (extracolorectal cancers). The observed/expected ratio (O/E ratio) was calculated using the Osaka Cancer Registry, to determine the rate of increase in extracolorectal cancers.
Results: The frequency of postoperative extracolorectal cancers was 12.6%. A logistic regression analysis showed only age to be an independent risk factor for postoperative extracolorectal cancer development. The O/E ratio of overall postoperative extracolorectal cancer was significantly higher than one (O/E ratio 2.6, p < 0.01). In each organ, the frequency of lung and gastric cancers were significantly higher than one, with O/E ratios of 3.2 and 2.7 (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively).
Conclusion: The frequency of postoperative extracolorectal cancers in CRC patients was significantly higher than that in the normal population, especially for lung and gastric cancers. Clinicians should carefully follow patients for a possible recurrence of CRC and educate CRC patients with regard to the high risk of a second primary cancer.
(c) 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel.