NEW RESEARCH ON SKIN CANCER:

A NEW RISK FACTOR FOR SKIN CANCER; INCLUDING MELANOMA

Patients with Rheumatoid arthritis and rheumatic diseases who have been taking TNF-blockers may have an increased risk of developing certain cancers, reports a study out of Denmark. These cancers include non-melanoma skin cancer and melanoma. This descriptive study concludes that anti-TNF therapy is associated with increased cancer risk, however, the authors acknowledge that future studies will have to exclude confounders. 

Dr. Raffy Karamanoukian, a skin cancer doctor and board certified plastic surgeon in Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, and Los Angeles notes that these studies reveal some theoretical association with increased incidence of skin cancer, but drawing conclusions may be premature.

Dreyer L, Mellemkjaer L, Hetland ML. Cancer in arthritis patients after anti-tumour necrosis factor therapy. Ugeskr Laeger. 2009 Feb 9;171(7):506-11.SourceTA Reumatologisk Klinik 4242, Rigshospitalet, DK-2100 København Ø. lene.dreyer@dadlnet.dk