Malignancy risk in autoimmune rheumatic diseases

Extract: All domains of medical knowledge are rapidly increasing. For example, we now understand more about the fascinating collection of "autoimmune diseases" that share one common feature: an overactive immune system that reacts against normal tissue, causing inflammation and often damage. Simultaneously, there has been an explosion of knowledge in the field of oncology, particularly related to hematological malignancies, including lymphomas. It is in part because of this increased understanding of both autoimmune disorders and malignancy that we have begun to appreciate the links between autoimmune rheumatic disease and cancer risk. In the world of rheumatology (the speciality responsible, in large part, for autoimmune rheumatic conditions), a large body of evidence has been accumulating regarding cancer risk in rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, Sjogren's syndrome, and scleroderma/systemic sclerosis. A more detailed description of this topic was published elsewhere.