Unintended benefits of immunosupression on autoimmune disease due to chemoradiation therapy for head and neck cancer.
The immune system is an important factor in the host's defenses against cancer. Immunosupression by radiation and/or chemotherapy is often associated with systemic and hematologic complications, opportunistic infections, and the development of malignancies, but immunosupression can also have beneficial effects, which are sometimes incidental. We report 2 patients with autoimmune diseases where immunosupression had beneficial effects. The first case is about a patient with carcinoma of the tonsil, with severe rheumatoid arthritis, who was treated with chemoradiation, which resulted in remission of his arthritis. The second case is about a patient with severe atopic eczema who was on long-term treatment with psoralen and ultraviolet A radiation and azathioprine; the patient developed metastatic carcinoma of the lip, which was treated with surgery and radiation that resulted in complete remission of his eczema.
Royal Alexandra Hospital, Greater Glasgow & Clyde Hospitals NHS Trust, Glasgow, UK. iqbalms@hotmail.com
Mohammed Iqbal
MI
Syed
Louise J
LJ
Clark
Roger D
RD
Sturrock
D000368:Aged; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy; D006801:Humans; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012074:Remission Induction / Q000379:methods
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents