Association Between Lupus and Cancer

A new analysis published in Arthritis Research & Therapy found that SLE is associated with increased risk of 16 cancers and decreased risk for prostate cancer and cutaneous (skin) melanoma.  The analysis included data from 24 published studies.  Increased risk was seen in non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, leukemia, multiple myeloma, cervix, vagina/vulva, renal, bladder, esophagus, gastric, hepatobiliary, lung, oropharynx, larynx, non-melanoma skin, and thyroid cancers.  No signifcant association was seen with breast, uterus, ovarian, pancreatic, colorectal, or brain cancers.