TNF Blockers Do Not Increase Cancer Risk in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients

Sunday November 1, 2009

A Swedish study has concluded that rheumatoid arthritis patients did not experience an increased cancer risk in the first 6 years of treatment with TNF blockers. Researchers from Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm assessed short-term and medium-term cancer risk in rheumatoid arthritis patients using Remicade, Humira, and Enbrel.

According to the report published in the November 2009 issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism, the study was one of the largest and longest population-based assessments of cancer risk associated with immunosupressive therapy. Data from 6,366 patients who used TNF blockers between January 1999 through July 2006 was included in the study. Their data was compared to other groups of rheumatoid arthritis patients -- including more than 61,000 who were not taking medication, about 4,000 who were using methotrexate, and about 4,000 patients using a combination of DMARDs (not TNF blockers).

The overall cancer risk was found to be the same for rheumatoid arthritis patients on immunosuppressants as for those patients not taking medications. But researchers added, this is just one study and it doesn't erase uncertainty about cancer risk that will be proven over time. Patients should still have routine cancer screenings and be vigilant about any physical changes that might be indicative of cancer.

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