Autoimmune Disease Tied to Non-Hodgkin"s Lymphoma

By David Douglas

NEW YORK OCT 31, 2005 (Reuters Health) - Patients with autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and Sjogren"s syndrome appear to be at greater risk of non-Hodgkin"s lymphoma (NHL), researchers report in the October issue of the Journal of Rheumatology.

"There has been an increasing incidence of NHL over the last 20 years which is unexplained," lead investigator Dr. Janet Cuttner told Reuters Health. "We found an increased incidence of NHL in patients with a prior history of autoimmune disease."

To examine possible relationships, the researchers questioned 278 patients with NHL, who had been seen over a 10-year period, about prior autoimmune disease. They were compared with a control group of 317 patients who had other hematologic disorders.

In all, 13% of NHL patients had a prior autoimmune disease, compared to 5% of controls. Moreover, 20% of women with NHL had a history of autoimmune disease compared to 7% of women in the control group.

In addition, 56% of the NHL patients with autoimmune disease received immunosuppressive treatment compared to 38% of controls.

Overall, in comparing patients of the same sex and age, those with NHL were 2.6 times more likely to have had a prior history of autoimmune disease.

Patients with refractory autoimmune disease, said Dr. Cuttner, "are receiving immunosuppressive treatment in an effort to prevent disabling sequelae."

"Autoimmune disease occurs predominantly in women," she concluded, "some of whom are receiving potent immunosuppressive therapy, which may possibly increase their risk of developing NHL."

In an accompanying editorial, Drs. Sharon Chambers and David Isenberg of University College London note that although the researchers might have provided greater detail, "a dedicated attempt to study the link between cancer and autoimmune diseases is certainly a step in the right direction."

SOURCE:

• J Rheumatol 2005;32:1884-1887.