Increased Risk of Cancer in Patients With Psoriatic Arthritis

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is associated with an increased risk of cancer, especially nonmelanoma skin cancer and thyroid cancer, according to a study published in RMD Open.

Researchers aimed to assess the risk of cancer in patients with PsA in a nationwide population-based cohort in Korea from 2010 to June 2021. The outcome was the incidence of overall and specific cancers.

The incidence rate of cancers occurring in patients with PsA was 83.2 (95% CI 70.8 to 97.0) per 10 000 person years compared with an incidence of 66.9 (95% CI 63.3 to 70.6) per 10 000 person years. The risk of nonmelanoma skin cancer and thyroid cancer was higher in patients with PsA than in controls.

“The risk of overall cancer was higher in patients with PsA than in the general population,” concluded the study authors. “Our findings suggest a need to conduct cancer screening by a detailed history and comprehensive clinical examination in patients with PsA,” they added.

Reference
Eun Y, Hwang J, Seo GH, Ahn JK. Risk of cancer in Korean patients with psoriatic arthritis: a nationwide population-based cohort study. RMD Open. 2023;9(1):e002874. doi:10.1136/rmdopen-2022-002874