Prior history of non-melanoma skin cancer is associated with increased mortality in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
We investigated whether a previous diagnosis of non-melanoma skin cancer among chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients is a predictor of poor outcome. Using the Swedish Cancer Registry, we conducted a population-based study to evaluate the survival patterns among chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients with and without non-melanoma skin cancer. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used and Kaplan-Meier curves were constructed. Of a total of 12,041 chronic lymphocytic leukemia cases identified, 236 cases, including 111 squamous cell cancer, had a prior history of non-melanoma skin cancer. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients with a prior history of non-melanoma skin cancer had a 1.29-fold (95% CI 1.10-1.52; p=0.0024) increased risk of dying; and those with a history of squamous cell cancer had a further elevated 1.86-fold (95% CI 1.46-2.36; p<0.0001) risk of dying. Kaplan-Meier plots showed that patients with a history of non-melanoma skin cancer, particularly those with squamous cell cancer, had significantly poorer survival than chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients without non-melanoma skin cancer (p<0.0001; log-rank test). Non-melanoma skin cancer may be a novel clinical predictor of worse chronic lymphocytic leukemia outcome.
Genetic Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, 6120 Executive Blvd, Bldg. EPS/Room 7012, Bethesda, 20892-7236, USA. toroj@mail.nih.gov
Jorge R
JR
Toro
Patrick W
PW
Blake
Magnus
M
Björkholm
Sigurdur Y
SY
Kristinsson
Zhuoqiao
Z
Wang
Ola
O
Landgren
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012042:Registries; D012307:Risk Factors; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality*; D015996:Survival Rate / Q000639:trends