This study confirmed that despite changes in modern therapeutic approaches to the treatment of RA, risk for developing lymphomas remains at the same levels seen in historical cohorts. However, although clinicians need to remain aware of the possibility of lymphoma development in RA patients, the absolute risks remains low.
Results Answer Patient Questions
The results should also inform physicians that early standard treatments are not associated with increased risk of lymphoma. Dr. Hellgren stresses that this is an important piece of information to give patients because it addresses some of their questions about the potential for harm from taking immune-modulating therapies over long periods of time.
The group’s findings are also interesting from an etiological standpoint. Although it could be expected that improved therapies may reduce the risk of lymphomas, this is not the case.
“One reason for this could be that we just haven’t been able to follow this group long enough to detect a reduction,” Dr. Hellgren says. “Another hypothesis that can’t be excluded is that the remaining increase in lymphoma risk indicates a shift from disease-related to treatment-related risk, although this, of course, remains speculative. Our results highlight the importance of continually evaluating lymphoma risk in association with not only TNFi agents, but also other agents including new upcoming ones.”
Kurt Ullman has been a freelance writer for more than 30 years and a contributing writer to The Rheumatologist for 10 years.
References
- Hellgren K, Baecklund E, Backlin C, et al. Rheumatoid arthritis and risk of malignant lymphoma: Is the risk still increased? Arthritis Rheumatol. 2017 Apr;69(4):700–708.
- Hellgren K, Smedby KE, Feltelius N, et al. Do rheumatoid arthritis and lymphoma share risk factors? A comparison of lymphoma and cancer risks before and after diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Rheum. 2010 May;62(5):1252–1258.
