SYSTEMIC-SCLEROSIS AND MALIGNANCY - ASSES SMENT OF RISK-FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF CANCER IN 123 PATIENTS WITH SYSTEMIC-SCLEROSIS

Several studies have suggested an increased risk of cancer in patients with systemic sclerosis, but the potential risk factors for these can cers remain unknown. The aim of this study was to identify, among pati ents with systemic sclerosis, factors associated with the development of cancer, with attention to clinical (age, sex, cutaneous sclerosis), immunological (antinuclear antibodies, anticentromere antibodies, ant i-Scl-70 antibodies) and histological (pulmonary fibrosis) features. W e retrospectively studied 123 patients with systemic sclerosis. The me dian follow-up period was 4 years. Fourteen cases of cancer (11.3%) we re found (lung n = 3, breast n = 2, ovarian n = 2, skin n = 1, thyroid n = 1, rectum n = 1, uterine cervix n = 1, larynx n = 1, pancreas n = 1, myelodysplasia n = 1). The characteristics of systemic sclerosis w ere similar in patients with and patients without cancer. Yet, the thr ee cases of lung cancers occurred in association with CREST syndromes and anticentromere antibodies.