Pattern of second primary neoplasms following breast cancer.
BACKGROUND
Second primary neoplasms (SPN) have been seen with diseases such as breast cancer and Hodgkin's disease. Therapeutic agents used for their treatment have been found responsible for the development of SPN in some cases. In addition, genetic factors are known to contribute to their development.


METHODS
A retrospective study of 15 patients who had primary breast cancer and developed SPN concurrently or sequentially was conducted.


RESULTS
Of 15 patients analysed in this study, five had haematological SPN, four had ovarian cancer, and six had different types of non-haematological SPN. Familial clustering was found in two patients. A peculiar abnormality of chromosome 5 and 7 was detected in one patient with haematological SPN, suggesting therapy-related leukaemia.


CONCLUSIONS
It is postulated that alkylating agents with or without p53 gene inactivation may predispose to leukaemia, whereas ovarian tumors following breast cancer could be related to BRCA 1 gene inactivation.
Parikh
B
B
Department of Medical Oncology, Tata Memorial Hospital, Bombay, India.
Advani
S
S
D000328:Adult; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy; D015984:Causality; D005260:Female; D019337:Hematologic Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D016609:Neoplasms, Second Primary / Q000209:etiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies