Multiple Primary Malignant Tumors

The coexistence of more than one malignant tumor in the same individual has been observed and recorded on many occasions, and in recent years renewed efforts have been made to appraise its incidence by a careful examination of the material provided by large hospitals. According to Hanlon,1up to 1931 only in seven instances have large series of postmortem examinations been studied for the purpose of determining the frequency, distribution and other factors relating to the occurrence of multiple primary malignant tumors. Before 1931 von Hauseman,2Puhr,3Gade,4Feilchenfeld,5Redlich,6Reichelman7and Harbitz8made contributions to the subject. Since then Hanlon, Warren and Gates,9Schreiner and Wehr,10Bugher11and most recently Burke12have published excellent reports. Hanlon was able to find only twenty-five reports in which three or more carcinomas were present in one individual. However, with more