title: Comparison of cancer incidence among patients with rheumatic disease: a retrospective cohort study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rheumatic diseases (RDs) are associated with different cancers; however, it is unclear whether particular cancers are more prevalent in certain RDs. In the present study, we examined the relative incidence of several cancers in a single homogeneous cohort of patients with different RDs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients (N = 3,586) diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), systemic sclerosis (SSc), dermatomyositis (DM) or polymyositis were included. Cancer diagnosis was based on histopathology. The 2008 Korean National Cancer Registry served as the reference for calculating standardized incidence ratios (SIRs).
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the follow-up period of 31,064 person-years, 187 patients developed cancer. RA and SLE patients showed an increased risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (SIR for RA patients = 3.387, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.462 to 6.673; SIR for SLE patients = 7.408, 95% CI = 2.405 to 17.287). SLE patients also had a higher risk of cervical cancer (SIR = 4.282, 95% CI = 1.722 to 8.824). SSc patients showed a higher risk of lung cancer (SIR = 4.917, 95% CI = 1.977 to 10.131). Endometrial cancer was increased only in patients with DM (SIR = 30.529, 95% CI = 3.697 to 110.283). RA patients had a lower risk for gastric cancer (SIR = 0.663, 95% CI = 0.327 to 0.998). The mean time between the RD and cancer diagnoses ranged from 0.1 to 16.6 years, with the shortest time observed in patients with DM (2.0 ± 2.1 years).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Different RDs are associated with particular cancers. Thus, cancer surveillance tailored to specific RDs might be beneficial.
authors.forename: Sung Hae
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Jin Kyun
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Yun Jong
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ji Ae
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Eun Young
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Yeong Wook
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Eun Bong
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012042:Registries; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000150:complications*