Primary Digestive Tumors with Double Localization – A Statistical Epidemiological Analysis

Abstract

This paper aims to use statistical and epidemiological indicators to evaluate the patients with multiple primary neoplasms (out of which at least one was digestive) admitted at the Institute of Oncology, Cluj-Napoca between 2001 and 2004. Materials and methods: This retrospective study analyzed data from the record sheets of patients with more than one neoplastic localization that differed from the first one admitted at the Institute of Oncology, Cluj-Napoca between 07.02.2001 and 27.05.2004. A database was created using the above-mentioned information. Statistical analyses were carried out using EPIINFO 6 (95% confidence interval). Results: Over 100 observation charts filled in between 2001 and 2004 were analyzed and 19 cases met the selection criteria. 9 cases (47.4%) were synchronous tumors while 10 cases (52.6%) were metachronous tumors, the occurrence interval ranging from 7 to 69 months, with an average of 27 months (standard deviation-24). 10 (52.6%) were females while 9 (47.4%) were males. The average age was 56.4 years (21.1-76.8 years) (standard deviation-12.5). A highly significant statistical difference (p=0.03-the Anova test) between the average age of the two gender groups was found (M>F). The occurrence interval of the two tumors, expressed in months, did not correlate with the patients’ age. 14 patients (73.7%) came from the urban environment while 5 patients (26.3%) came from the rural environment. Digestive tumors were the most frequent first localizations-11 patients (57.8%) and were followed by 6 cases of genital cancer (31.5%). Digestive tumors were also the most frequent second localizations-14 cases (73.6%), followed by genital cancer (21%). Discussions: the female-male ratio was well-balanced, malignant associations were present (ovary- colon, which could indicate certain familial neoplastic syndromes), the tumors occurred earlier in female than in male patients, regardless of localization, the patient’s age was associated with the age at which the tumor occurred, all associations involving multiple localizations with digestive involvement were detected within a 5-year interval, as opposed to non-digestive localizations.