title: Increased risk of cancer in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.
abstract: To evaluate the risk of cancer in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) a series of 205 consecutive patients (182 women and 23 men) were followed up for cancer through the files of the Finnish Cancer Registry. The follow up consisted of a total of 2340 person years. Fifteen cancers were diagnosed against 5.7 expected (relative risk (RR) 2.6, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.5 to 4.4). Among the women there were four non-Hodgkin's lymphomas against 0.09 expected (RR 44, CI 11.9 to 111) and two soft tissue sarcomas against 0.04 expected (RR 49, CI 6.0 to 177). When evaluated by a case control study previous treatment with cytostatic drugs showed no influence on the occurrence of cancer in this series of patients with SLE.
authors.affiliation: Fourth Department of Medicine, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Finland.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pettersson
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pukkala
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Teppo
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Friman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012306:Risk; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000150:complications; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000150:complications
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents