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Secondary Neoplasms

Meaning

Secondary neoplasms, in a critical clinical context, are defined as new, distinct malignant growths that develop in a patient who has previously been successfully treated for a separate, entirely unrelated primary cancer, or they may refer to metastatic tumors that have spread from the original primary site. In the domain of hormonal health, clinicians must carefully consider the potential for specific therapeutic interventions, such such as certain hormone replacement regimens or exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals, to inadvertently increase the long-term risk of developing a second, distinct cancer later in life. This represents a significant long-term risk management consideration in survivorship care.