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Nonmelanoma skin cancer history may increase risk for other malignancies
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White patients with histories of nonmelanoma skin cancer had an increased risk for subsequent malignancies, according to results of a prospective cohort study.
Researchers reviewed the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS), which enrolled 51,529 US male health professionals aged 40 to 75 years, and the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS), which enrolled 121,700 US female nurses aged 30 to 55 years.
Participants completed a baseline questionnaire about lifestyle, diet and medical history. Follow-up questionnaires were used to update information biennially.
The investigators analyzed Health Professionals Follow-up Study data from 1986 to 2008, and Nurses’ Health Study data from 1984 to 2008.
During those years, white participants in both studies developed 36,102 new cases of nonmelanoma skin cancer and 29,447 new cases of other primary cancers.
Analysis showed both white men (RR=1.11; 95% CI, 1.05-1.18) and white women (RR=1.20; 95% CI, 1.15-1.25) with a history of nonmelanoma skin cancer were at increased risk for other primary cancers excluding melanoma.
Researchers used Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons (n=28) for individual cancer sites, and results showed a history of nonmelanoma skin cancer in white men was significantly associated with increased melanoma risk (RR=1.99; age-standardized absolute risk [AR]=116 per 100,000 person-years; P<.0018).
White women with a history of nonmelanoma skin cancer were at increased risk for breast cancer (RR=1.19; AR=87 per 100,000 person-years), lung cancer (RR=1.32; AR=22 per 100,000 person-years) and melanoma (RR=2.58; AR=79 per 100,000 person-years; P<.0018 for all).
“These findings suggest that there is a modestly increased risk of subsequent malignancies among white individuals with a history of nonmelanoma skin cancer,” the researchers concluded. “The findings reported here should be interpreted cautiously and do not suggest that individuals who have had nonmelanoma skin cancer should undergo increased cancer surveillance. These findings do, however, support the need for continued investigation of the apparent relationship between nonmelanoma skin cancer and subsequent cancers.”
Reference:
Song F. PloS Med. 2013;doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1001433.