Smoking status, age greatly increase lung cancer risk in patients with SLE

Smoking and age were the greatest risk factors for lung cancer in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, according to researchers.

Data from a multi-site, international cohort of 4,667 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and matched controls were analyzed using Cox proportional hazards regression to calculate the hazard ratio for the development of lung cancer in patients with SLE. Adjusted mean Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index scores were assessed as a continuous variable, and data were adjusted for disease duration. Patients who developed cancer in areas other than in the lung were excluded from the study.

Sasha Bernatsky

Thirty-four patients within the SLE cohort developed lung cancer, 27 of whom were women. Patients with SLE who developed cancer tended to be white (85.3% vs. 63.3%) and older at study entry (52.3 years vs. 36.9 years) compared with non-cancer controls. Additionally, 61.8% patients with SLE who developed cancer had higher disease activity than other patients with SLE, according to the researchers.

The majority of patients with SLE who developed lung cancer were ever-smokers (78.8%), whereas 40.7% of those who did not develop lung cancer were smokers.

Adjusted analysis showed a trend of greater cancer risk in those patients with higher disease cumulative activity. Use of common treatment drugs were analyzed, but the adjusted effects were imprecise, according to the researchers. – by Shirley Pulawski

Reference:

Bernatsky S, et al. Paper #2791. Presented at: American College of Rheumatology Annual Meeting. Nov. 14-19, 2014; Boston.

Disclosure: The authors have no relevant financial disclosures.