Multiple primary cancers in squamous cell cancer of the head and neck.

A retrospective review of 832 patients with squamous cell cancer of the head and neck between 1961 and 1985 was carried out to determine the incidence of multiple primary cancers (MPC) at the time of autopsy and the number who died of the second cancer. The overall risk of developing a second MPC of the head and neck, lung, or esophagus from treatment of first head and neck cancer to time of autopsy was 4.04% per year.