Is Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Linked to Malignant Melanoma?

Being diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is associated with a significant increase in the risk of developing malignant melanoma, according to the results of a recent study.

SLE has previously been linked to other cancers, including non-Hodgkin and Hodgkin lymphomas, and lung, larynx, liver, vulva, vagina, and thyroid gland cancer.
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For their study, researchers analyzed medical records from 2351 patients with SLE diagnosed between 2000 and 2016, and a comparison group of 1676 patients with systemic sclerosis.

Overall, 10 participants (0.4%) with SLE were later diagnosed with malignant melanoma, compared with just 1 participants with sclerosis (0.06%).

Study limitations included a lack of information on the time between SLE diagnosis and diagnosis of melanoma, and the rates or cumulative exposure to checkpoint inhibitors.

—Michael Potts

Reference:

SLE linked to subsequent risk of malignant melanoma. Rheumatology News. May 11, 2017. http://www.mdedge.com/rheumatologynews/article/138039/lupus-connective-tissue-diseases/sle-linked-subsequent-risk.