CanThera Cancer Therapy Center
1314 East Sonterra Blvd
Suite 5101
San Antonio, TX 78258
Phone: (210) 404-0044
FAX:    (210) 404-0045

Secondary malignancies

Secondary Malignancies are cancers caused by treatment with radiation or chemotherapy. They are unrelated to the original cancer that was treated, and may occur months or years after initial treatment. Risk factors for developing secondary malignancies include the type of cancer you were initially diagnosed with and the chemotherapy regimen that you were treated with. 

Persons most at risk for developing this problem include patients with breast cancers treated with alkalating agents, anthracyclines, anti-metabolities and taxanes; non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma patients treated with the chemo regimen CHOP; testicular cancers treated with cisplatin, etoposide and bleomycin and patients with Hodgkin’s lymphoma and acute lymphoblastic leukemia treated with radiation therapy.

The most frequent site for a second cancer is the skin and is usually of the basal cell or squamous cell variety. However, some secondary malignancies can be quite serious.

This is a rare complication of cancer therapy. The most important aspect of treatment of a secondary malignancy is early detection. Prior to starting therapy your physician or nurse will review your risk for developing secondary malignancies based on your disease process and your treatment regimen. The need for early screening for mammography, colon cancer and routine skin evaluations will be discussed with you at that time.