Anticentromere antibody as a risk factor for cancer in patients with systemic sclerosis

This study has estimated the cancer risk among patients with systemic scler osis (SSc) using a population-based analysis. Using the inpatient and outpa tient registries for patients at Kyushu University Hospital between 1982 an d 1996, standardised incidence rates (SIRs) (ratio of observed-to-expected cancers) were calculated in 43 patients with SSc, 24 patients with polymyos itis (PM) and 17 patients with dermatomyositis (DM). Risk factors predispos ing to cancers were also investigated in the SSc patients. Compared with th e Japanese general population, the SLR for developing cancer in SSc patient s was 5.1 (95% confidence interval (CI), 1.7-10.8), while the SIRs for canc er in the PM and DM groups were 4.7 (95% CI, 1.5-10.3) and 61.2 (95% CI, 46 .8-77.6), respectively. A statistically significant risk factor for cancers in the SSc patients was positivity for anticentromere antibody (ACA) (p<0. 05), while the erythrocyte sedimentation rate, serum lactate dehydrogenase concentration, serum gamma-globulin concentration, titre of antinuclear ant ibody and positivity for antitopoisomerase I antibody were not associated w ith cancer in SSc. Our population-based study confirms the increased risk o f cancer among patients with SSc in Japan and provides new evidence that po sitivity for ACA should be considered as a risk factor for cancer in future monitoring of patients.