Abstract
To test the validity of the common hypothesis that patients with psoriasis have an inherently lower susceptibility to cancer, we prospectively studied 1367 patients with severe psoriasis who enrolled in a clinical trial of oral methoxsalen photochemotherapy for treatment of psoriasis for an average of 3.2 yr. The incidence of non-cutaneous cancers and the number of deaths from such cancers were slightly but not significantly higher than that expected for the general population (relative risk = 1.1; standard mortality ratio = 1.3). Among 318 patients (23%) in this cohort who were over 35 yr of age and who lacked appreciable exposure to suspected cutaneous carcinogens, the observed incidence for cutaneous carcinoma was 1.4 times that expected, based on rates for the general population (90% confidence interval = .8 to 2.7). These data suggest that patients with psoriasis have a risk of systemic and cutaneous cancer that is comparable to the risk for the general population.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
