Can Serologic Testing Aid in the Identification of Dermatomyositis-Associated Cancer?

Adult patients with dermatomyositis have an increased risk for malignancy, and some form of search is initiated in almost all patients upon diagnosis. The risk for malignancy increases with patient age, and evaluation might differ depending on age, ethnicity, and sex. The cost of testing and retesting patients over years might not be justifiable, and a marker that could reliably identify patients at risk would save money and prevent morbidity resulting from unnecessary testing.

These authors tested 213 patients with dermatomyositis seen at two referral centers for the presence of two antibodies: anti-nuclear matrix protein (NXP) antibodies and anti–transcription intermediary factor 1γ (anti–TIF-1γ) antibodies. Anti-NXP antibodies were found …