Oral Corticosteroids Do Not Increase the Incidence of Nonmelanoma Skin Cancers

Skin cancer is one of the few effects that physicians do not have to worry about in long-term systemic corticosteroid users.

Oral corticosteroids are potent anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive agents that are effective for a wide variety of conditions. Other immunosuppressive agents, such as azathioprine and cyclosporine, have been found to augment risk for nonmelanoma skin cancers, particularly squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Despite widespread use over decades, the extent to which long-term oral corticosteroid treatment increases skin cancer risk is uncertain. To examine this issue, researchers analyzed data from the Veterans Affairs Topical Tretinoin Chemoprevention Trial. Subjects were veterans at high risk for nonmelanoma skin cancers; organ transplant recipients were excluded. The authors compared development of new SCCs or basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) i…

Reviewing Author

Craig A. Elmets, MD

Disclosures

Consultant / Advisory board Astellas Pharmaceuticals

EquityVaxin

Grant / Research support NIH; NIH/NCI; Veteran’s Administration; Ferndale Laboratories; Kyowa Hakko Kirin Pharma, Inc.

Editorial boards Cancer Prevention Research; Photodermatology, Photoimmunology, & Photomedicine; UpToDate; eMedicine; Journal of Dermatological Sciences; JAMA Dermatology

Leadership positions in professional societies American Academy of Dermatology (Vice Chair, Committee on Science and Research); Photomedicine Society (Board of Directors)