Rheumatoid Arthritis Drugs Linked to Increased Skin Cancer Risks, Studies Say
Immunosuppression drugs called TNF blockers, which are taken by millions of rheumatoid arthritis sufferers, can increase the chances of developing skin cancer compared to other arthritis drugs, two new studies show.
Humira, Enbrel, Remicade, Simponi, Cimzia and other brands of TNF blockers work by neutralizing tumor necrosis factor alpha, a protein that is overproduced in people with rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory diseases.
However, since TNF is a key element to helping the body fight cancer, neutralizing it in order to treat inflammatory diseases has the dangerous side effect of boosting the odds the user will develop cancer.
That’s exactly what two new studies have found, according to a report on WebMD.
In one study, researchers at Washington University in St. Louis studied the medical records of nearly 17,000 people with rheumatoid arthritis who were treated at Veterans Affairs hospitals. About 3,000 of them were taking TNF blockers, the study said.
Compared to people taking other disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) such as Rheumatrex or Arava, TNF-blocker users were 34 percent more likely to develop non-melanoma skin cancers, the study found.
TNF blockers also were also associated with a greater risk of malignant melanoma and the risks were higher depending on how long the patient had been taking the drugs, according to the study. Older patients, men, and those taking steroids also were at increased risks of non-melanoma cancers.
British Study Finds Increased Cancer Risks
The second study by British researchers focused on a national tracking system for rheumatoid arthritis patients. The research included nearly 12,000 patients taking TNF blockers and more than 3,500 taking DMARDs.
Researchers found that TNF-blocker users were about 70 percent more likely to develop squamous cell and non-melanoma basal skin cancers compared to DMARD users.
The study also found that not all TNF blockers are created equal when it comes to cancer risks. Remicade was associated with an increased risk of cancer that was three times that linked to DMARD use.
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