Incidence and Implications of Skin Cancers in Cancercare Manitoba Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) Clinic Patients

• Published in: Blood 2016-12, Vol.128 (22), p.4359-4359
• Main Authors: Beiggi, Sara, Pannu, Mohammad, Banerji, Versha, Dhaliwal, Dhali H.S., Gibson, Spencer B., Wiseman, Marni, Johnston, James B.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0006-4971; 1528-0020
• DOI: 10.1182/blood.V128.22.4359.4359

Background:We previously conducted a population-based study on chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) in Manitoba, which showed that second cancers are twice as common and skin cancers eight times as common in this disease, as compared to an age- and sex-matched control population and patients with follicular lymphoma. It is postulated that this is related to immunosuppression, secondary to the disease and chemo-immunotherapy. Here we set out to investigate rates and types of skin cancers in CLL patients and how these influence the outcome of CLL patients. Methods: Newly diagnosed CLL patients attending the CancerCare Manitoba CLL Clinic from the January 1st, 2002 until December 31st, 2012 were selected for this study. Patients were followed until December 31, 2014. Cox Proportional Hazard models were constructed to predict hazard’s ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for survival as well as risk of non-cutaneous malignancies. Association between skin cancer and CLL prognostic markers were investigated by Fisher’s Exact test, Student’s t-test and logistic regression analysis. P-value