OBJECTIVETo explore the clinical characteristics and the survival status of the patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma in the multiple primary cancers (MPC).

METHODSFollow-up and clinical data were analyzed retrospectively in 81 laryngeal squamous cell cancer patients with MPC among 1101 patients with laryngeal carcinoma. Survival analysis and every influencing factor on survival rate were performed by Kaplan-Meier method.

RESULTSThe occurrence rate of MPC in the patients with laryngeal squamous cell cancer was 7.4% (81/1101) in this report. Oral cavity carcinoma and nasopharyngeal carcinoma were the most common MPC in 29 cases (35.8%) in head and neck regions. MPC in head and neck regions were more often seen among patients who had treated with radiotherapy (chi2 = 5.7, P = 0.017). Lung carcinoma (25.9%, 21/81) and esophageal carcinoma (22.2%, 18/81) were the most common MPC in remote organs in 52 cases (64.2%). Thirty seven MPC cases (45.7%) were occurred in aerodigestive tract and 32 cases(39.5%) in respiratory tract in this series. Fourteen cases (17.3%) were synchronous MPC, the median time interval was 2 months. Other 67 cases (82.7%) were metachronous MPC, the median time interval was 28 months. The squamous cell carcinoma (66.7%) was the most common pathologic type among all MPC in 81 cases, which was more often seen among patients who had smoked and drunk (P = 0.007). The MPC of esophageal carcinoma and oropharyngeal carcinoma were more often seen among patients of supraglottic index cancer presentation (P = 0.04). The MPC of oral cavity cancers and nasopharyngeal carcinoma and lung carcinoma were more often seen among patients of glottic index cancer presentation (P = 0.006). The total three-and five-year survival rates were 45.2% and 29.7% respectively of all MPC patients, the five-year survival rate for patients (53 cases) who received actively different therapies for their MPC was 45.5%, obviously higher than that of untreated patients (28 cases) whose three-year survival rate was zero (P = 0.000).

CONCLUSIONSLung carcinoma and esophageal carcinoma were the most common multiple primary cancers among MPC of the laryngeal cancer. MPC of the laryngeal cancer in head and neck regions were more often seen among patients who had treated with radiotherapy. The pathologic type of squamous carcinomas of MPC was more often seen among patients who had smoked and drunk. MPC affected the prognosis of patients in laryngeal cancer largely. Treating effectively and in time could help to improve the survival rate of patients with MPC in laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas.