Multiple primary cancers in urologic patients. Audit of 19-year experience in Berlin and review of the literature.

During the period 1969-1988, 4,353 patients were treated for urologic cancers in the Department of Urology, Klinikum Steglitz, University Hospital of The Free University Berlin. In 144 cases (3.3%) a second primary neoplasm occurred, and in 88 cases (2.0%) the urologic cancer was the first primary tumor. The relative risk of development of a secondary primary neoplasm after the urologic primary tumor was calculated. No overall increased risk was found. In relation to certain cancer associations (bladder and prostate, kidney and prostate) the risk was increased by factor 2. In 43 percent of the cases the second primary tumor developed within half a year; the overall time span was twenty-five years.