Multiple primary malignancies in black patients.

Charts of 42 black patients with multiple malignant neoplasms were among 1,953 cancer patients selected for review during the period of 1959 through 1979. The incidence was 2.15 percent. Most patients were female and the breast was the most frequent initial primary carcinoma. With this relatively small number of cases, there was no consistent cluster of initial and second primaries about which to make inferences. In the absence of a regional registry of primary tumor incidence, no generalities could be obtained concerning a matched non-black population on the incidence of multiple primaries. However, comparison of this group could be made with data previously recorded.