ABSTRACT

Objective:

Compared to the general population, malignancy is more common in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and is one of the leading causes of mortality. The objective of this study was to assess the frequency and types of malignancies, and its association with SSc features.

Methods:

Medical records of 141 patients who were followed up in the Department of Rheumatology at Kocaeli University Medical Faculty Hospital and who met the 2013 American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism SSC classification criteria were retrospectively analyzed. Clinical, demographic, laboratory and radiological information of the patients were obtained from the patient files.

Results:

Of the seven cases with malignancy, two had non-small cell lung cancer, two had breast cancer, one had larynx cancer, one had endometrium cancer, and one had chondrosarcoma. Apart from malignancy, a female patient was diagnosed with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance. Four of the patients diagnosed with malignancy were evaluated as limited, and three with diffuse skin involvement. Modified Rodnan skin score was significantly higher in SSc patients with malignancy than in the patients without malignancy (p=0.045). No significant difference was found in terms of disease subtype, gender, age, auto-antibody and disease duration.

Conclusion:

Since the risk of malignancy is increased in patients with SSc, patients should be followed carefully. Malignancy can be diagnosed before the onset of SSc, concurrently or during the follow-up. SSc can be seen as a paraneoplastic syndrome, especially in patients with positive anti-RNAP-III antibody, and these patients should be monitored in terms of malignancy.

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Malignancy and risk factors in systemic sclerosis patients

ABSTRACT

References