Malignancy is increased in ANCA-associated vasculitis

• Published in: Rheumatology (Oxford, England) England), 2004-12, Vol.43 (12), p.1532-1535
• Main Authors: Pankhurst, T., Savage, C. O. S., Gordon, C., Harper, L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic - blood; Autoimmune Diseases - complications; Autoimmune Diseases - immunology; Biological and medical sciences; Cancer; Dermatology; Female; Glomerulonephritis - complications; Glomerulonephritis - immunology; Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis - complications; Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis - immunology; Henoch–Schönlein purpura; Humans; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic - complications; Male; Malignancy; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Neoplasms - complications; Purpura, Schoenlein-Henoch - complications; Renal; Retrospective Studies; Risk Assessment; Sarcoidosis. Granulomatous diseases of unproved etiology. Connective tissue diseases. Elastic tissue diseases. Vasculitis; Vascular disorders of the skin; Vasculitis; Vasculitis - complications; Vasculitis - immunology; Wegener's granulomatosis
• ISSN: 1462-0324; 1462-0332
• DOI: 10.1093/rheumatology/keh374

Objective. In the light of previous reports of an association between malignancy and renal vasculitis, we aimed to investigate the association of malignancy in antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis, either Wegener's granulomatosis (WG) or microscopic polyangiitis (MPA), and compare it with the general population and disease control groups comprising patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) or Henoch–Schönlein purpura (HSP). Methods. A retrospective review of 200 consecutive patients with WG or MPA was performed. Malignancies preceding or concurrent with vasculitis were recorded and the incidence of malignancy was compared with those in a population of 129 patients with HSP, 333 patients with SLE and a normal population in the West Midlands of the UK. Results. Twenty patients had a diagnosis of malignancy, 14 had MPA and six had WG. Patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis had an increased risk of malignancy compared with HSP patients, of whom six patients had malignancy (relative risk 0.85, confidence interval 0.69–1.05; P = 0.034), or SLE patients, of whom five patients had malignancy (relative risk 0.31, 95% confidence interval 0.14–0.7; P