title: Inflammatory myopathies and lymphoma.
abstract: The inflammatory myopathies comprise a group of immune-mediated muscle diseases. Lymphoma is a term for a variety of lymphatic system malignancies. Autoimmune diseases and lymphoproliferative malignancies share a complex bidirectional relationship. A causal relationship between inflammatory mypathies and lymphoma has not been established. The diagnosis/treatment of inflammatory myopathy usually precedes the detection/diagnosis of lymphoma. Immune system dysregulation presumably underlies the evolution of lymphoma in patients with inflammatory myopathies. Inflammatory activity with chronic B-cell activation and/or antigen stimulation is deemed the major risk factor for lymphoma in patients with autoimmunity. A "paraneoplastic" phenomenon or the effects of immunosuppressive therapy may be alternative immune-based mechanisms. In chronic lymphocytic leukemia immune system disturbance rarely results in non-hematological autoimmune disease, including inflammatory myopathies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Weill Cornell Medical College/New York Presbyterian Hospital, 525 East 68th Street, New York, NY 10065-4885, USA. Electronic address: pstuebge@med.cornell.edu.
authors.forename: Joerg-Patrick
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Stübgen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016206:Databases, Bibliographic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D009220:Myositis / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D007155:Immunologic Factors
keywords: Autoimmunity; Dermatomyositis; Lymphoma; Polymyositis