Incidence of cancer in a cohort of Spanish patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

The Cancer Risk Profile of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients

ABSTRACT

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients have a well-established increased risk for cancer. Research from the past 2 decades has identified the specific malignancies that afflict SLE patients at disproportionate rates. Systemic lupus erythematosus patients are at heightened risk for several hematologic malignancies as well as for certain solid tumors, including lung, thyroid, and hepatobiliary cancers. They are at decreased risk for several cancers as well, including prostate and melanoma. Improved understanding of the unique cancer risk profile of SLE patients has led some professional societies to recommend specialized cancer screening and prevention measures for these patients and has enabled clinicians to better serve the SLE patient population.

Diagnostic Dilemma of Paraneoplastic Rheumatic Disorders: Case Series and Narrative Review

Paraneoplastic rheumatic disorder (RD) is a disorder that may present before, concurrent with, or after the diagnosis of malignancy. Paraneoplastic RDs are a clinical expression of occult cancer that is not directly related to a tumor or metastasis and manifests as rheumatoid symptoms. The RD is determined by the organ system affected by articular, muscular, cutaneous, vascular, or miscellaneous symptoms. Each case is challenging to diagnose because cancer may present with similar symptoms as a common rheumatic disorder. Of note, the majority of cases have minimal responsiveness or no responsiveness to standard rheumatoid treatment. Therefore, it is imperative to recognize and treat the underlying cancer accordingly. Herein, we present four different diagnostic dilemma cases of RD: case #1 - leukocytoclastic vasculitis and C3 glomerulopathy, case #2 - scleroderma, case #3 - Raynaud’s syndrome and possible lupus-like syndrome, and case #4 - inflammatory myositis. Institutional IRB approval was obtained for this case series. We will discuss and review the literature on each topic. In addition, we will mention a review of paraneoplastic rheumatoid arthritis. As rheumatic disease is associated with the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) for cancer treatment, we will briefly discuss some of the most common rheumatic presentations in the setting of these drugs. This case review aims to inform clinicians about the atypical presentation of paraneoplastic RD and to highlight the need for interdisciplinary management between rheumatologists, oncologists, and primary care practitioners.

Risk of malignancy in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: Systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Malignancy is a potential comorbidity in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). However, risk by malignancy type remains to be fully elucidated. We evaluated the risk of malignancy type in SLE patients in a systematic review and meta-analysis.

METHODS

MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched from inception to July 2018 to identify observational studies that evaluated malignancy risk in adult SLE patients compared with the general population. Random-effects models were used to calculate pooled risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Heterogeneity was quantified using the I² test.

FINDINGS

Forty-one studies reporting on 40 malignancies (one overall, 39 site-specific) were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled RR for all malignancies from 3694 events across 80 833 patients was 1.18 (95% CI: 1.00-1.38). The risk of 24 site-specific malignancies (62%) was increased in SLE patients. For malignancies with ≥6 studies, non-Hodgkin lymphoma and Hodgkin lymphoma risk was increased >3-fold; myeloma and liver >2-fold; cervical, lung, bladder, and thyroid ≥1.5-fold; stomach and brain >1.3-fold. The risk of four malignancies (breast, uterine, melanoma, prostate) was decreased, whereas risk of 11 other malignancies did not differ between SLE patients and the general population. Heterogeneity ranged between 0% and 96%, and 63% were non-significant.

INTERPRETATION

The risk of overall and some site-specific malignancies is increased in SLE compared with the general population. However, the risk for some site-specific malignancies is decreased or did not differ. Further examination of risk profiles and SLE patient phenotypes may support guidelines aimed at reducing malignancy risk.

FUNDING

AstraZeneca.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

PROSPERO number: CRD42018110433.

Hormonal Dependence and Cancer in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the incidence and analyze any cancer-associated factors in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), differentiating between hormone-sensitive (HS) and non-HS cancers.

METHODS

This was a retrospective multicenter study of a patient cohort from the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Registry of the Spanish Society of Rheumatology. Included were the first cancer post-SLE diagnosis, clinical and sociodemographic information, cumulative damage, severity, comorbidities, treatments, and refractoriness. Cancers were classified as HS (prostate, breast, endometrium, and ovarian) and non-HS (the remainder). The standardized incidence ratio (SIR) was calculated and logistic regression models were built.

RESULTS

A total of 3,539 patients (90.4% women) were included, 154 of whom had cancer (91% female), and 44 had HS cancer (100% female). The cancer SIR was 1.37 (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.15-1.59), with higher values in women age <65 years (SIR 2.38 [95% CI 1.84-2.91]). The SIR in women with HS versus non-HS cancer was 1.02 (95% CI 0.13-1.91) and 1.93 (95% CI 0.98-2.89). In HS versus non-HS cancers, SLE diagnostic age (odds ratio [OR] 1.04 [P = 0.002] versus 1.04 [P = 0.019]), and period of disease evolution (OR 1.01 [P < 0.001] versus 1.00 [P = 0.029]) were associated with cancer. The Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index (OR 1.27 [P = 0.022]) and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor prescriptions (OR 2.87 [P = 0.048]) were associated with non-HS cancers.

CONCLUSION

Cancer incidence in patients with SLE was higher than in the Spanish population, particularly among young women. This increase might be due to non-HS cancers, which would be associated with SLE involving greater cumulative damage where more ACE inhibitors are prescribed.

Malignancy in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) Patients

Background:

Malignancies are among the leading causes of death in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) patients with studies reporting a higher prevalence of malignancy in SLE patients compared to the general population. We wanted to determine the frequency of cancer in a cohort of SLE patients and identify its associated risk factors.

Methods:

Cross-sectional study involving SLE patients attending the nephrology outpatient clinic, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre between January and June 2014.

Results:

We recruited 228 patients (207 female, 21 male), aged 40.48 ± 12.86 years with mean SLE duration of 11.65 ± 6.46 years. Majority (87%) had lupus nephritis and were in remission with a median SLEDAI score 2 (0, 14). Majority (89%) were on corticosteroid with either a steroid sparing agent like mycophenolate mofetil (15.4%), azathioprine (36.8%) or ciclosporin (15.4%). One hundred and sixty (70.2%) patients were either receiving or had received intravenous cyclophosphamide with median dose of 5,173.6 ± 3,242.4 mg. Seven female patients were diagnosed with cancer during the course of their SLE with 56 (34-78) years being median age at malignancy and SLE duration of 4 (0-12) years. Majority (5/7) had lupus nephritis and all patients a median dose of prednisolone 10 (2.5, 10) mg with 10 (4-24) years of steroids. Two patients had a family history of cancer with majority developing cancer after the diagnosis of SLE. Two patients received intravenous cyclophosphamide prior to the development of cancer for their SLE compared to overall cohort of 160. Three patients had colorectal cancer, 2 had cervical cancer, 1 had breast cancer, and one patient had germ cell tumour and one thyroid cancer. All patients had their cancer successful treated with no signs of recurrence.

Conclusion:

We found a lower occurrence of cancer in our SLE patients as compared with the reported literature.

Description of Malignancy Rates in Childhood- and Adult-Onset Systemic Lupus Erythematous by Proportional Meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

Describe malignancy rates in childhood onset and adult onset systemic lupus erythematous (SLE) by proportional meta-analysis.

METHODS

Two reviewers screened data from PubMed (1966-2015), EMBASE (1980-2015), and LILACS (1982-2015) for SLE-associated malignancy. Proportional meta-analysis with a random-effects model and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated according to SLE onset age and mean follow-up time. Statistical difference was defined by 95% CI overlap.

RESULTS

Overall the malignancy rate reported in 30 case series with 96,578 subjects was 3.4% (95% CI, 0.0260-0.0442; I = 97.6%; P < 0.0001). The malignancy rate was 4.2% (95% CI, 0.0318-0.0531; I = 98%; P < 0.0001) in 25 adult-onset SLE series, compared with 0.5% (95% CI, 0.0003-0.0154; I = 62.6%; P = 0.03) in 5 childhood-onset SLE series. Overall, in those with less than 5 years' follow-up, the malignancy rate was 2.8% (95% CI, 0.013-0.047; I = 91%; P < 0.0001) compared with 3.6% (95% CI, 0.0226-0.0531; I = 98.3%; P < 0.0001) in those with more than 5 years' follow-up, which was not significant, with 95% CI overlap.

CONCLUSIONS

The meta-analysis indicated lower malignancy rates in pediatric-onset SLE compared with adult-onset SLE, but accrued data from childhood-onset SLE are still needed.

No association between the risk of breast cancer and systemic lupus erythematosus: evidence from a meta-analysis

Several studies have estimated breast cancer risk in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) relative to the general population. However, the results have been inconclusive. Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis to ascertain a more comprehensive conclusion. A systematic literature search of electronic databases including PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Scopus was conducted to identify eligible studies using multiple search strategies. Based on the degree of heterogeneity, a random-effect model was chosen to calculate the pooled standardized incidence rate (SIR) with 95% confidence interval (CI), to estimate the strength of association between SLE and breast cancer incidence risk. A total of 18 eligible studies including 110,720 patients with SLE were enrolled in this meta-analysis. The combined results showed no significant association between SLE and breast cancer incidence (SIRs = 1.012 (95% CI, 0.797-1.284)). Subgroup analysis by study type, ethnicity, follow-up years, sample size, and SLE diagnostic criteria also showed no altered risk for breast cancer incidence (the summary risk estimate of each subgroup ranged from 0.82 to 1.40 with no statistical significance). This meta-analysis suggests no direct association between SLE and risk of breast cancer incidence.

A review on SLE and malignancy

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic, systemic autoimmune disease characterized by autoantibody production, complement activation, and immune complex deposition. It predominantly affects young and middle-aged women. While improvements in the diagnosis and treatment of SLE have altered prognosis, morbidity and mortality rates remain higher than the general population. In addition to renal injury, cardiovascular disease, and infection, malignancy is known to be a significant cause of death in this population. There is increasing evidence to suggest that patients with SLE have a slightly higher overall risk of malignancy. The risk of malignancy in SLE is of considerable interest because the immune and genetic pathways underlying the pathogenesis of SLE and the immunosuppressant drugs (ISDs) used in its management may mediate this altered risk. Our current understanding of these and other risk factors and the implications for treating SLE and screening for malignancy is still evolving. This review summarizes the association between SLE and malignancy. The first section discusses the risk of overall and site-specific malignancies in both adult- and pediatric-onset SLE. Next, we evaluate the risk factors and possible mechanisms underlying the link between malignancy and SLE, including the use of ISDs, presence of certain SLE-related autoantibodies, chronic immune dysregulation, environmental factors, and shared genetic susceptibility. Finally, we review guidelines regarding cancer screening and vaccination for human papilloma virus.

Lupus as a paraneoplastic manifestation of cholangiocarcinoma

Tumors originating in the digestive system, like those in other areas, whether solid or otherwise, may present with extradigestive manifestations in the setting of a paraneoplastic syndrome. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune condition most commonly involving women of childbearing age. On occasion it represents a paraneoplastic manifestation heralding a primary tumor. Cancer suspicion is therefore a key element for newly diagnosed SLE cases with nonstandard epidemiology even in the absence of suggestive symptoms, and digestive tumors should be included in the differential diagnosis.

Systemic lupus erythematosus and malignancies risk

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the risk of site-specific and overall malignancies after SLE and explore the potential influencing factors.

METHODS

We searched electronic databases for articles that assessed the risk of malignancies after SLE through February 2015. We extracted the incidence rates (IRs) and corresponding 95 % confidence intervals (CIs). We used random effects models to calculate the pooled IRs and assessed the impact of study designs, region, gender, age and duration of follow-up.

RESULTS

Eighteen studies were included, giving a pooled IR of 1.44 (95 % CI 1.23-1.69). Europeans, Americans and Asians showed a IR of 1.56 (95 % CI 1.07-2.28), 1.18 (95 % CI 1.01-1.39) and 1.62 (95 % CI 1.38-1.89), respectively. Males and females (eight studies) demonstrated a IR of 1.34 (95 % CI 1.07-1.67) and 1.51 (95 % CI 1.20-1.90), respectively. Prospective and retrospective studies showed a IR of 1.55 (95 % CI 0.97-2.47) and 1.44 (95 % CI 1.21-1.73), respectively. An increment of 10 years of age conferred a decrease in IR of 0.6. An increment of 5 years of SLE duration conferred a decrease in IR of 2.5. An increased IR of malignancies was observed in NHL, vagina/vulva, hematology, head/neck, leukemia, thyroid, liver/gallbladder, kidney, anal, cervix, esophagus, lung and pancreas. A decreased IR of malignancies was observed in ovary and colon/rectum.

CONCLUSIONS

SLE patients had an increased risk of developing overall malignancies, particularly among Asians and females. Age and SLE duration are inversely associated with the risk of overall malignancies. SLE patients showed a different role in the onset of various site-specific malignancies.