title: Risk of skin cancer in multiple myeloma patients: a retrospective cohort study.
abstract: Immunosuppressed patients are known to have an increased incidence of skin cancer. Patients with multiple myeloma (MM) show impaired immune function. In the past, because of poor survival, the incidence of specific secondary primary malignancies such as skin cancer among these patients was difficult to establish. With more effective MM therapies that have emerged in recent years, these patients are living markedly longer, and therefore, it becomes of increasing importance to determine whether their risk of developing other medical problems such as skin cancer is increased. We performed a retrospective cohort study of 205 myeloma patients and 193 age-, race-, and gender-matched control subjects to assess the incidence of skin cancers among patients with MM and determine the specific types of and risk factors for skin cancer. We found that there is an increased occurrence of skin cancer among patients with MM compared to control subjects (26.8% vs. 16.1% in controls; P = 0.009). Among specific types of skin cancer, the proportion of patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) was higher than controls (P = 0.016). In addition to MM diagnosis, older age and Caucasian ethnicity were predictors of skin cancer of any type. Furthermore, older age was also a predictor of SCC.
authors.affiliation: Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
authors.forename: Austin A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.affiliation: James R. Berenson, MD, Inc., West Hollywood, CA, USA.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Institute for Myeloma and Bone Cancer Research, West Hollywood, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Suzie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vardanyan
authors.affiliation: David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Erik K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Madden
authors.affiliation: David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hebroni
authors.affiliation: James R. Berenson, MD, Inc., West Hollywood, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Kyle A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Udd
authors.affiliation: Oncotherapeutics, West Hollywood, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Tanya M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Spektor
authors.affiliation: Institute for Myeloma and Bone Cancer Research, West Hollywood, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Jason D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Nosrati
authors.affiliation: Institute for Myeloma and Bone Cancer Research, West Hollywood, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Alex Z
authors.initials: AZ
authors.lastname: Kitto
authors.affiliation: Institute for Myeloma and Bone Cancer Research, West Hollywood, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zahab
authors.affiliation: Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Simrin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cheema
authors.affiliation: David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Darron H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Fors
authors.affiliation: David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Norberg
authors.affiliation: David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Diehl
authors.affiliation: Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Gabriel N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Waterman
authors.affiliation: James R. Berenson, MD, Inc., West Hollywood, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Regina A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Swift
authors.affiliation: Cancer Research and Biostatistics, Seattle, WA, USA.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Crowley
authors.affiliation: James R. Berenson, MD, Inc., West Hollywood, CA, USA. jberenson@imbcr.org.|Institute for Myeloma and Bone Cancer Research, West Hollywood, CA, USA. jberenson@imbcr.org.|Oncotherapeutics, West Hollywood, CA, USA. jberenson@imbcr.org.
authors.forename: James R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Berenson
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D016609:Neoplasms, Second Primary / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*
keywords: multiple myeloma; secondary primary malignancy; skin cancer; squamous cell carcinoma