title: Multiple primary malignancies in Japanese patients with renal cell carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the incidence, nature and prognosis of multiple primary malignancies involving renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in Japan.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 1975 and 1998, 319 patients underwent an operation for RCC at Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan. The incidence of other primary malignancies was determined and classified as antecedent, synchronous or subsequent. Follow-up was obtained by thorough chart review or telephone interview, and ranged from 0 to 276 months (median 49.0 months). To analyze the influence of other primary malignancies on prognosis, overall and cause-specific survival rates of the patients with an antecedent or synchronous malignancy were compared to the remaining patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 319 patients there was at least one other malignancy in 38 patients (12%). Four patients had two other malignancies. The other malignancies were antecedent in 13, synchronous in 19 and subsequent in 10 patients. Twenty-two patients had gastrointestinal cancer. In cases of antecedent or synchronous diagnosis of other primary malignancies, RCC was commonly incidental, small or low-stage. Multivariate analysis using Cox's proportional hazards model showed that, for overall survival, the presence of other antecedent or synchronous malignancies was the second most significant prognostic factor, following the pathological stage of RCC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In Japanese patients with RCC, the incidence of other primary malignancies was not uncommon and these malignancies contributed to the prognosis of these patients. Therefore, the malignant potential of individual tumors should be paid careful attention in the management of these patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan.
authors.forename: Soshu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Nobuo
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shinohara
authors.forename: Shin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Toru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Harabayashi
authors.forename: Tomohiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Koyanagi
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D044466:Asian People; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009378:Neoplasms, Multiple Primary / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis