Therapy-induced thoracic malignancies.

As the number of cancer survivors in the United States continues to grow, clinicians must be aware of the possible therapy-related second primary malignancies to which their patients are susceptible. No guidelines have been established for the routine screening of cancer survivors for thoracic malignancies, such as lung cancer, esophageal cancer, and pleural mesothelioma. In general, clinicians should remain cognizant of the fact that previous radiation for a variety of malignancies may have increased their patient's risk for developing a therapy-induced second primary tumor within the thorax. Potential signs and symptoms of thoracic malignancies should be approached with heightened vigilance in any patient who has a history of radiation exposure, regardless of how remote.