Association Between Prurigo Nodularis and Malignancy: A Real-World Multicenter Retrospective Cohort Study.

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Oncology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Prurigo nodularis (PN) is a chronic inflammatory skin condition linked to systemic disorders.
• The association between PN and an increased risk of malignancy is not well-established.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between prurigo nodularis and the risk of developing malignancies.
• To identify specific cancer types associated with PN.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective cohort study was conducted using the US TriNetX database (2016-2022).
• 10,941 adults with PN were matched 1:1 with controls without PN.
• Cox proportional hazards models were used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Main Results:

• Patients with PN showed a significantly increased risk of malignancy (HR 2.10; 95% CI 1.81-2.43).
• Elevated risks were observed for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (HR 4.24), basal cell carcinoma (HR 2.49), hematopoietic (HR 1.97), gastrointestinal (HR 1.87), respiratory (HR 1.86), and female genital cancers (HR 2.77).

Conclusions:

• Prurigo nodularis is associated with a substantially elevated risk of malignancy, particularly cutaneous cancers.
• Heightened clinical vigilance and further research into underlying mechanisms and screening are warranted for PN patients.