title: Skin cancers and non-hodgkin lymphoma among users of systemic glucocorticoids: a population-based cohort study.
abstract: Patients treated with glucocorticoids may have an increased risk of skin cancer. Using data from the population-based North Jutland Prescription Database and the Danish Cancer Registry, we compared observed and expected numbers of cases of skin cancer and non-Hodgkin lymphoma among 59 043 individuals who received prescriptions for glucocorticoids, a common immunosuppressive therapy, during an 8-year period from January 1, 1989, through December 31, 1996. The overall risks for squamous cell carcinomas and basal cell carcinomas of the skin were increased, particularly among persons who had 15 or more prescriptions (standardized incidence ratio [SIR] for squamous cell carcinomas = 2.45, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.37 to 4.04; SIR for basal cell carcinomas = 1.52, 95% CI = 1.09 to 2.07). An elevated risk was also found for non-Hodgkin lymphoma among those with 10-14 prescriptions (SIR = 2.68, 95% CI = 1.16 to 5.29). Our data suggest that use of glucocorticoids may be a shared risk factor for certain skin cancers and lymphomas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark. hts@soci.au.dk
authors.forename: Henrik Toft
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Sørensen
authors.forename: Lene
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mellemkjaer
authors.forename: Gunnar Lauge
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Baron
authors.forename: Jørgen H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Olsen
authors.forename: Margaret R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Karagas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000139:chemically induced; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000139:chemically induced; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000139:chemically induced; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012042:Registries; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids