title: Analysis of 303 Ro/SS-A antibody-positive patients: is this antibody a possible marker for malignancy?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The risk of cancer in patients with autoimmune diseases has been investigated in several studies. Ro/SS-A antibodies are frequent and specific autoantibodies among patients with various autoimmune diseases.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the risk of cancer in individuals with positive Ro/SS-A antibodies and to analyse their clinical and laboratory characteristics.
  
  
  METHODS
  Consecutive patients (n = 303) with Ro/SS-A antibody positivity were collected during 11 years in our outpatient clinic for autoimmune diseases and were retrospectively analysed. Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for all cancers were calculated. In addition, we identified further clinical and laboratory characteristics of Ro/SS-A antibody-positive patients indicating the development or existence of a malignancy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty (16·5%) patients were diagnosed with malignancies. Ro/SS-A antibody was strongly associated with malignant diseases (SIR 2·6, 95% CI 1·9-6·1), particularly melanoma (SIR 33·3, 95% CI 5·2-188·6), T-cell lymphoma (SIR 16·7, 95% CI 2·9-128·9), non-Hodgkin lymphoma (SIR 10·6, 95% CI 1·5-78·9) and breast carcinoma (SIR 4·98, 95% CI 1·3-28·3). Logistic regression modelling revealed that Ro/SS-A antibody-positive patients aged 55 years or older, presenting with fever, anaemia and cutaneous lupus erythematosus, have a greater probability of developing cancer and are considered high-risk patients, as compared with Ro/SS-A antibody-positive patients with none of the mentioned clinical criteria.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our cohort of Ro/SS-A antibody-positive patients, an overall increased risk of malignancy was noticed. Regular screening tests including imaging and laboratory values are justified in Ro/SS-A antibody-positive patients who exhibit the mentioned clinical criteria.
authors: Department of Dermatology, Innsbruck Medical University, Anichstrasse 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria. barbara.boeckle@i-med.ac.at
authors: B C
authors: BC
authors: Böckle
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Stanarevic
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Ratzinger
authors: N T
authors: NT
authors: Sepp
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000097:blood*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D001323:Autoantibodies; D015415:Biomarkers; C035356:SS-A antibodies