Background: Compared to the general population, colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors are at higher risk for developing additional malignancies, with up to 11.5% of male CRC survivors diagnosed with a second distinct malignancy.
Methods: To determine if this trend is similar in CRC survivor veterans, a retrospective analysis of all veterans diagnosed with colorectal cancer (CRC) between 1995 and 2011 within a single Veterans Affairs Medical Center was performed.
Results: Of 1,496 veterans diagnosed with sporadic CRC, 22.6% had developed a second primary malignancy and 2.7% had a third primary malignancy. The most frequently diagnosed second primary malignancies within this cohort included cancer of the prostate (38.5%), lung and bronchus (15.3%), urinary bladder (11.5%), oral cavity and pharynx (6.3%), and kidney and renal pelvis (6.1%). Incidences of second primary malignancies were 24.8%, 27.3%, and 15.9% for veterans of World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam War, respectively.
Conclusions: Our findings indicated that cancer survivor veterans carried even a higher risk of developing a second primary malignancy regardless of their service eras as compared to the general population. Healthcare providers should remain vigilant regarding surveillance for the development of additional, distinct malignancy in this particular patient population.
