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Importance: To our knowledge, there are no complete population-based studies of the risks of developing second malignant tumors after papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) in patients following the Chernobyl nuclear accident. Objective: To study the risk of second primary cancers in patients with PTC after the Chernobyl disaster. Design, Setting, and Participants: This was a retrospective cohort study conducted in the Republic of Belarus over a 31-year time frame evaluating patients with primary PTC and second malignant tumors. Personal data from the Belarussian Cancer Registry were used in the investigation, and only second primary cancers were included in the analysis. Patients were observed from January 1, 1990, to December 31, 2021, for the establishment of second primary malignant tumors. Main Outcomes and Measures: For analysis, synchronous and metachronous tumors were grouped into 1 group (second primary cancer group). If the patient had more than 2 cancers, they were observed until development of a second tumor and, subsequently, the development of a third tumor. The starting point for calculating the number of person-years was the date of thyroid cancer diagnosis. The end point for calculating the number of person-years was the date of diagnosis of the second primary malignant tumor, the date of death, the date of the last visit of the patient, or December 31, 2021 (the end the of study period). The incidence of a second primary malignant tumor with PTC was calculated for the study groups using standardized incidence ratios. Results: Of the 30568 patients with a primary PTC included in this study, 2820 (9.2%) developed a second malignant tumor (2204 women and 616 men), the mean (SD) age of all patients at time of the primary cancer was 53.9 (12.6) years and at time of the secondary cancer was 61.5 (11.8) years. Overall, the standardized incidence ratio was statistically significant for all types of cancer (1.25, 95% CI, 1.21-1.30), including solid malignant tumors (1.20, 95% CI, 1.15-1.25) and all leukemias (1.61, 95% CI, 2.17-2.13). Cancers of the digestive system (466 cases [21.1%]), genital organs (376 cases [17.1%]), and breasts (603 cases [27.4%]) were the most prevalent second primary tumors in women following PTC. Second primary tumors of the gastrointestinal tract (146 cases [27.7%]), genitourinary system (139 cases [22.6%]), and urinary tract (139 cases [22.6%]) were the most prevalent in men. Urinary tract cancers (307 cases [10.9%]) and gastrointestinal tumors (612 cases [21.4%]) were the most prevalent second primary tumors overall. Conclusions and Relevance: This cohort study reports the increased incidence of solid secondary tumors in men and women over a 31-year time frame after the Chernobyl disaster. Moreover, there was a statistically significant increased risk of second tumors of the breast, colon, rectum, mesothelium, eye, adnexa, meninges, and adrenal glands as well as Kaposi sarcoma. These data might have an effect on the follow-up of this cohort of patients to detect secondary malignant tumors at an early stage.. © 2023 American Medical Association. All rights reserved.

Abstract

adrenal cancer, adult, Article, articular cartilage, Belarus, bone cancer, brain cancer, breast cancer, bronchus cancer, cancer patient, cancer registry, cartilage cancer, central nervous system cancer, Chernobyl accident, cohort analysis, colon cancer, cranial nerve cancer, date of death, digestive system cancer, endocrine cancer, eye cancer, female, follicular lymphoma, gastrointestinal cancer, genital tract cancer, Hodgkin disease, human, identifiable information, Kaposi sarcoma, kidney cancer, larynx cancer, leukemia, lip cancer, lung cancer, lymphatic leukemia, lymphoma, major clinical study, male, melanoma, meninx, mesothelioma, middle aged, mouth cancer, mouth cavity, multiple myeloma, multiple tumor, myeloid leukemia, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, oropharynx cancer, parotid gland cancer, pharynx cancer, plasmacytoma, prostate cancer, rectum cancer, retrospective study, second cancer, second primary neoplasm, solid malignant neoplasm, standardized incidence ratio, thyroid papillary carcinoma, trachea cancer, urinary tract cancer, urogenital tract cancer, uterus cancer, disaster, thyroid tumor, Chernobyl Nuclear Accident, Cohort Studies, Disasters, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Neoplasms, Second Primary, Retrospective Studies, Thyroid Cancer, Papillary, Thyroid Neoplasms

Significance Statement:

Second Primary Cancer among Patients with Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma Following the Chernobyl Disaster

Taha A., Taha-Mehlitz S., Nadyrov E.A., Zinovkin D., Veyalkin I., Levin L., Pranjol M.Z.I., Melling N., Honaker M.D., Cattin P.C., Schmid R.A.

This research is pivotal as it's one of the first comprehensive population-based studies to assess the risk of developing second malignant tumors in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. Conducted over 31 years in Belarus, it analyzed patients with primary PTC and second malignant tumors. The findings reveal a statistically significant increase in the incidence of solid secondary tumors in both men and women following the disaster. This study highlights the long-term health impacts of nuclear accidents and underscores the importance of ongoing health monitoring for survivors of such events.

JAMA Network Open

2023

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