Rheumatoid Arthritis, Anti–Tumor Necrosis Factor Treatment, and Skin Cancer

Patients about to start TNF-inhibitor treatment should be counseled that these agents only modestly increase the probability of developing NMSCs

Tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) inhibitors, a mainstay of biologic therapy for psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and inflammatory bowel disease, suppress the host immune responses responsible for disease production. Other forms of immunosuppression are associated with increased risk for nonmelanoma skin cancers (NMSCs). Using a Swedish registry of adults receiving antirheumatic biologic treatment, these authors investigated the incidence of cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) and basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) among RA patients receiving TNF-inhibitor treatment. TNF-inhibitor-naive RA patients and individuals in the general population without RA were controls.

The probability of developing SCCs was nearly twice a…

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)