Second primary cancers in patients with tumours of the salivary glands

Abstract

In a series of patients drawn from the Birmingham Regional Cancer Registry (England) with tumours of the salivary glands, a significant excess of second primary tumours was observed. For females, the excess was found mainly in breast and bronchus and, for males, in prostate and skin. In a parallel series of female breast-cancer patients, the observed number of second primary tumours in salivary glands significantly exceeded expectation. These results support the reported association between salivary gland and breast cancer, and suggest that other hormone-dependent sites are also at risk.