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Recent evidence shows that patients treated with thiopurines for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are at increased risk for nonmelanoma skin cancers (basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma). Also, some evidence indicates that patients treated with anti–tumor necrosis factor agents for IBD are at increased risk for melanoma.
To evaluate the overall risk for melanoma in patients with IBD, investigators conducted a meta-analysis of 12 cohort studies comprising 172,837 patients. Overall, 179 cases of melanoma were reported between 1940 and 2009. Compared with the general population, the incidence of melanoma was 37% higher in patients with IBD, 51% higher in patients with Crohn disease, and 23% higher in patients with ulcerative colitis. In a su…