Prostatic sarcoma after treatment of rectal cancer.
BACKGROUND
The relationship between radiation exposure for treatment of cancer and occurrence of a second primary cancer at the irradiated site is well known. This phenomenon is however rare in prostate.


METHODS
A 75-year-old farmer was treated for rectal cancer with preoperative 45 Gy of radiotherapy and abdominoperineal resection. Four years later he developed symptoms of bladder outlet obstruction and acute urinary retention. He underwent a transurethral resection of the prostate. Histological examination of the removed prostate tissue and immunohistochemistry revealed it to be a poorly differentiated sarcoma.


CONCLUSIONS
We believe this to be the first reported case of radiation-induced sarcoma following radiotherapy treatment for rectal cancer. Since radiotherapy plays a pivotal role in the contemporary treatment of rectal adenocarcinoma, it is relevant to be aware of the potential long-term carcinogenic complications of radiotherapy of the pelvis.
Department of Surgery, Middlemore Hospital, University of Auckland, New Zealand. salehabbas@yahoo.com
Salah M
SM
Abbas
Andrew G
AG
Hill
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009381:Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*