Malignancies in Korean patients with inflammatory myopathy

Charakteristika von Dermatomyositis-Patienten mit und ohne Malignom-Assoziation

HINTERGRUND

Die Dermatomyositis gehört zur Gruppe der seltenen, idiopathischen, inflammatorischen Myositiden. Für die paraneoplastische Form der Dermatomyositis wurde in der Vergangenheit ein Zusammenhang mit Malignomen erkannt. Faktoren, die für eine Malignom-Assoziation sprechen, werden bis heute untersucht.

PATIENTEN UND METHODIK

Es wurden retrospektiv über einen Zeitraum von 15 Jahren die Daten von 63 Patienten mit Dermatomyositis analysiert.

ERGEBNISSE

Folgende Faktoren gaben einen Hinweis für eine Dermatomyositis mit Malignom-Assoziation: ein höheres Patientenalter (> 52 Jahre [P = 0,001], > 65 Jahre [P = 0,002], ≥ 75 Jahre [P = 0,002]), eine kürzere Zeit zwischen Erstmanifestation und Erstdiagnose (Malignom-Gruppe: 59 Tage vs. Nicht-Malignom-Gruppe: 137 Tage [P = 0,022]), eine Hautbeteiligung in Form von Gottron-Zeichen (P = 0,045), zentrofazialen Erythemen (P = 0,036) oder typischen Erythemen an den Ober-/Unterarmen (P = 0,019), eine oropharyngeale Beteiligung (P = 0,015) und eine GPT-Erhöhung (P = 0,031). Folgende Faktoren sprachen eher gegen eine Malignom-Assoziation: ein jüngeres Patientenalter (≤ 52 Jahre [P = 0,001], 40-65 Jahre [P = 0,045]) und Juckreiz (P = 0,026).

SCHLUSSFOLGERUNGEN

In der Literatur finden sich heterogene Ergebnisse zu den genannten Faktoren hinsichtlich ihrer Eignung als Marker für eine Malignom-Assoziation. Erschwert ist die Faktorenfindung aufgrund kleiner Studienpopulationen, wenigen prospektiven und kontrollierten Studien, die Einordnung von Populationen als Myositis-Patienten ohne Differenzierung und eine inkonsistente Verwendung der Nomenklatur. Mit unserer Studie wollen wir einen wichtigen Beitrag zur Identifizierung von Risikofaktoren bei Dermatomyositis mit Malignom-Assoziation leisten.

Characteristics of dermatomyositis patients with and without associated malignancy

BACKGROUND

Dermatomyositis belongs to the rare idiopathic, inflammatory myositis group. A previously postulated link between some cases of dermatomyositis and malignancy has been established in recent years. Criteria suggestive of a malignancy association are still being explored.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed data from 63 patients with dermatomyositis over a period of 15 years.

RESULTS

The following criteria argue for cancer-associated dermatomyositis: older age (> 52 years [P = 0.001], > 65 years [P = 0.002], ≥ 75 years [P = 0.002]), shorter time between manifestation and diagnosis of dermatomyositis (malignancy group: 59 days vs. non-malignancy group: 137 days [P = 0.022]), typical skin involvement such as Gottron sign (P = 0.045), centrofacial erythema (P = 0.036) and typical erythema on the upper arms and forearms (P = 0.019), oropharyngeal involvement (P = 0.015) and increased ALT (P = 0.031). The following criteria argue for non-cancer-associated dermatomyositis: younger age (≤ 52 years [P = 0.001], 40-65 years [P = 0.045]) and pruritus (P = 0.026).

CONCLUSIONS

The aforementioned criteria have been documented in the literature, but reported findings are heterogenous concerning the suitability of their markers for malignancy association. Small study populations, few prospective controlled studies, summarization of different forms of myositis and inconsistent use nomenclature contribute to biased results. Our study aims to make an important contribution toward the identification of risk factors in cancer-associated dermatomyositis.

A systematic review and meta-analysis to inform cancer screening guidelines in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies

Objectives

To identify clinical factors associated with cancer risk in the idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs) and to systematically review the existing evidence related to cancer screening.

Methods

A systematic literature search was carried out on Medline, Embase and Scopus. Cancer risk within the IIM population (i.e. not compared with the general population) was expressed as risk ratios (RR) for binary variables and weighted mean differences (WMD) for continuous variables. Evidence relating to cancer screening practices in the IIMs were synthesized via narrative review.

Results

Sixty-nine studies were included in the meta-analysis. DM subtype (RR 2.21), older age (WMD 11.19), male sex (RR 1.53), dysphagia (RR 2.09), cutaneous ulceration (RR 2.73) and anti-transcriptional intermediary factor-1 gamma positivity (RR 4.66) were identified as being associated with significantly increased risk of cancer. PM (RR 0.49) and clinically amyopathic DM (RR 0.44) subtypes, Raynaud’s phenomenon (RR 0.61), interstitial lung disease (RR 0.49), very high serum creatine kinase (WMD −1189.96) or lactate dehydrogenase (WMD −336.52) levels, and anti-Jo1 (RR 0.45) or anti-EJ (RR 0.17) positivity were identified as being associated with significantly reduced risk of cancer. Nine studies relating to IIM-specific cancer screening were included. CT scanning of the thorax, abdomen and pelvis appeared to be effective in identifying underlying asymptomatic cancers.

Conclusion

Cancer risk factors should be evaluated in patients with IIM for risk stratification. Screening evidence is limited but CT scanning could be useful. Prospective studies and consensus guidelines are needed to establish cancer screening strategies in IIM patients.

The prevalence, clinical features, predictive factors and investigations to screen for cancer in patients with inflammatory myositis. A case series from two tertiary care centers in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Objectives:

To describes the epidemiology of cancer in patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM) treated at 2 tertiary centers in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Methods:

This was a retrospective multi-center study evaluating the prevalence and the type of malignancy in an IIM population in King Saud University Medical City and King Abdulaziz Medical City between August 2017 to August 2018.

Results:

In total, 60 patients were included. Four had neoplasms (6.7%), 2 men had lymphoma, a woman had breast cancer and a second, ovarian cancer. Two patients died due to cancer or its complications. Older age (age >40 years), dysphagia, necrotic rash, absence of interstitial lung disease, high erythrocyte sedimentation rate and a negative anti Jo-1 antibody were potentially predictive risk factors for neoplasm. All patients diagnosed with cancer-associated myositis were investigated with routine and invasive modalities. Three of the 4 patients had abnormal findings in both modalities. One patient, the routine investigations were unremarkable, but a computed tomography of the pelvis revealed an ovarian mass that was subsequently diagnosed as malignant.

Conclusion:

An individualized approach might be more appropriate for high risk patients. Larger prospective studies are required to confirm the findings of the current study.

A. R. ENS, Wada Y, Abdul Rahman Z, Ahmad S, Mohamud R, Mat Lazim N, Yean CY. Prevalence of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma in Patients with Dermatomyositis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Simple Summary

This first systematic review and meta-analysis on the prevalence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in patients suffering dermatomyositis was necessitated by the absence of a true and reliable prevalence estimate necessary to adequately inform medical preparedness and decisions. Following a careful review of literature and data analyses, a prevalence of 3.3% was found. It is hoped that a clear knowledge of the actual prevalence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in dermatomyositis patients would not only help sensitize clinicians and patients about the frequency of these disease conditions but would also enhance the adoption of precautions essential to mitigate their co-occurrence in patients.

Abstract

For more than 50 years, nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) has been associated with dermatomyositis (DM), a rare idiopathic inflammatory disorder that mainly affects the skin and muscles. Although the association between these rare diseases is well-documented, the actual prevalence of NPC in DM patients remains unknown. Here, a systematic review and meta-analysis of published data was conducted in accordance with the guidelines of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA). Electronic databases including PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar were searched without year or language restrictions for studies reporting the occurrence of NPC in DM patients. The study protocol was lodged with PROSPERO (CRD42021225335). A total of 95 studies covering 303 cases of NPC among 16,010 DM patients was included. Summary estimates were calculated using the random-effects model. The pooled prevalence of NPC in DM was 3.3% (95% CI, 2.5–4.3). When stratified according to study location, higher prevalence estimates were obtained for Hong Kong (36.5%), Malaysia (27.7%), and Singapore (11.9%). There was a predominance of cases among male DM patients compared with females, and most patients were aged 40 and above. Many of the NPC cases were found to be diagnosed after the diagnosis of DM. It is therefore pertinent to screen for NPC in DM patients, especially among older DM patients in the Asian region.

Reappraisal of the incidence, various types and risk factors of malignancies in patients with dermatomyositis and polymyositis in Taiwan

Our study aimed to investigate the incidence, risk factors and time to occurrence of malignancy in patients with dermatomyositis (DM) and polymyositis (PM). The electronic medical records of 1100 patients with DM and 1164 patients with PM were studied between January 2001 and May 2019. Malignancies after myositis were diagnosed in 61 (5.55%) patients with DM and 38 (3.26%) patients with PM. The cumulative incidence of malignancies in patients with DM were significantly higher than patients with PM (hazard ratio = 1.78, log-rank p = 0.004). Patients with DM had a greater risk of developing malignancy than those with PM at 40–59 years old (p = 0.01). Most malignancies occurred within 1 year after the initial diagnosis of DM (n = 35; 57.38%). Nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) was the most common type of malignancy in patients with DM (22.95%), followed by lung, and breast cancers. In patients with PM, colorectal, lung and hepatic malignancies were the top three types of malignancy. The risk factors for malignancy included old age (≥ 45 years old) and low serum levels of creatine phosphokinase (CPK) for patients with DM and male sex and low serum levels of CPK for patients with PM. Low serum levels of CPK in patients with myositis with malignancy represented a low degree of muscle destruction/inflammation, which might be attributed to activation of the PD-L1 pathway by tumor cells, thus inducing T-cell dysfunction mediating immune responses in myofibers. A treatment and follow-up algorithm should explore the occurrence of malignancy in different tissues and organs and suggested annual follow-ups for at least 5.5 years to cover the 80% cumulative incidence of malignancy in patients with DM and PM.

[Epidemiological profile of dermatomyositis and polymyositis: a study conducted in the Department of Rheumatology in Marrakech]

La dermatomyosite (DM) et la polymyosite (PM) sont des affections rares mais graves. Le but de ce travail est d'étudier, à travers la revue d'une série hospitalière, leur profil épidémiologique, clinique et évolutif. Il s´agit d´une étude rétrospective, conduite sur une période de 15 ans, entre janvier 2004 et décembre 2019. Ont été retenus les cas où le diagnostic était certain ou probable selon les critères de Bohan et Peter. Un total de 14 patients ont été inclus (8 DM et 6 PM), l´âge moyen était de de 48,7 ans. La sex-ratio était de 13F/1H. Les signes généraux existaient dans 71%. Le déficit moteur touchait les muscles des ceintures dans 71% des cas; 85,7% avaient des arthralgies et 14% des arthrites. L´érythème et l´œdème périorbitaire étaient les signes cutanés prédominants. Au bilan, la vitesse de sédimentation était accélérée chez tous les malades et les enzymes musculaires augmentées dans 80%. Les anticorps anti-nucléaires étaient positifs dans 63%. La biopsie musculaire a retrouvé une myosite inflammatoire dans 75%. L'atteinte cardiaque existait dans 14% des cas et pulmonaire dans 21%. Un cancer était associé dans 21,4% des cas. Tous les patients ont reçu une corticothérapie. L´évolution s´est faite vers l´amélioration dans 88%, avec une rechute chez 4 patientes. Dans notre contexte, la DM est plus fréquente que la PM, avec nette prédominance féminine. L'atteinte pulmonaire reste une complication lourde. L´association aux cancers semble fréquente d´où la nécessité d´un bilan systématique de néoplasie au moment du diagnostic et lors du suivi.

Polymyositis and dermatomyositis - challenges in diagnosis and management

Polymyositis (PM) and dermatomyositis (DM) are different disease subtypes of idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs). The main clinical features of PM and DM include progressive symmetric, predominantly proximal muscle weakness. Laboratory findings include elevated creatine kinase (CK), autoantibodies in serum, and inflammatory infiltrates in muscle biopsy. Dermatomyositis can also involve a characteristic skin rash. Both polymyositis and dermatomyositis can present with extramuscular involvement. The causative factor is agnogenic activation of immune system, leading to immunologic attacks on muscle fibers and endomysial capillaries. The treatment of choice is immunosuppression. PM and DM can be distinguished from other IIMs and myopathies by thorough history, physical examinations and laboratory evaluation and adherence to specific and up-to-date diagnosis criteria and classification standards. Treatment is based on correct diagnosis of these conditions.

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Challenges of diagnosis and management influences the clinical research and practice of Polymyositis and dermatomyositis.

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Diagnostic criteria have been updated and novel therapies have been developed in PM/DM.

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Pathogenesis investigation and diagnosis precision improvement may help to guide future treatment strategies.

Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathies and Malignancy: a Comprehensive Review

The idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs) are a heterogeneous group of autoimmune diseases (collectively known as myositis) affecting the skeletal muscles as well as other organ systems such as skin, lungs, and joints. The primary forms of myositis include polymyositis (PM), dermatomyositis (PM), and immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy (IMNM). Patients with these diseases experience progressive proximal muscle weakness, have characteristic muscle biopsy findings, and produce autoantibodies that are associated with unique clinical features. One distinguishing feature of these patients is that they are also known to have an increased risk of cancer. Since the first description of the association in 1916, it has been extensively reported in the medical literature. However, there have been significant variations between the different studies with regard to the degree of cancer risk in patients with IIM. These discrepancies can, in part, be attributed to differences in the definition of malignancy-associated myositis used in different studies. In recent years, significant advances have been made in defining specific features of IIM that are associated with the development of malignancy. One of these has been myositis-specific antibodies (MSAs), which are linked to distinct clinical phenotypes and categorize patients into groups with more homogeneous features. Indeed, patients with certain MSAs seem to be at particularly increased risk of malignancy. This review attempts a systematic evaluation of research regarding the association between malignancy and myositis.

Cancer risk in dermatomyositis: a meta-analysis of cohort studies

BACKGROUND

An association between dermatomyositis (DM) and cancer has been reported since 1916; however, estimates of the associated risk vary widely. For cost-effectiveness reasons it might be important to elucidate the degree of overall cancer risk in DM.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this systematic review was to investigate the association of cancer in DM by performing a meta-analysis of cohort studies.

DATA SOURCES

A systematic literature search of PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, Scopus, and the Cochrane Collaboration was conducted without language restriction, to 1 May 2014.

STUDY SELECTION

Inclusion criteria included cohort studies assessing overall cancer risk in DM. Two reviewers independently performed the study selection. Inter-rater reliability for inclusion decisions was quantified using Cohen's κ statistic. Disagreements were resolved by discussion.

DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS

Desired variables were extracted from eligible studies independently by two investigators and disagreements were resolved by discussion. Quality of the selected studies was assessed using a modification of a recently employed system designed with reference to Meta-analysis Of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (MOOSE), Quality Assessment Tool for Systematic Reviews of Observational Studies (QATSO), and Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE). Summary estimates were derived using a random-effects model.

MAIN OUTCOME(S) AND MEASURE(S)

Main outcome was the calculated relative risk of developing cancer after diagnosis of DM compared with the general population, estimated as the age- and sex-adjusted standardized incidence ratio (SIR). We hypothesized a priori that the relative risk would be higher in patients diagnosed with DM.

RESULTS

A total of 1,272 articles were initially identified but only ten studies met the inclusion criteria. Selected studies included seven population-based and three hospital-based DM cohorts that ranged from 49 to 1,012 patients and had mean follow-up times from 3.7 to 10.4 years. The pooled SIR for the incidence of overall cancer in DM patients was 4.79 (95% confidence interval 3.71-5.87) with significant heterogeneity (I(2) = 85.8%). However, the heterogeneity had no substantial influence on the pooled SIR for overall cancer in DM according to the sensitivity analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared with the general population, DM patients are at a significantly increased risk for developing cancer. Understanding the magnitude of this risk is highly relevant toward assisting healthcare providers in clinical decision making, such as screening DM patients for cancer.

Factors predicting malignancy in patients with polymyositis and dermatomyostis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective

To define potential factors that could predict concomitant neoplastic diseases in patients diagnosed with PM/DM, which could inform screening decisions.

Methods

Two researchers independently reviewed articles from Pubmed (MEDLINE), EMBASE, Cochrane Plus Library and ISI Web of Knowledge with no restrictions on study design or language. Given that some of the studies combined PM and DM patients as research subjects while others included only DM patients, data were subjected to meta-analyses for all combined PM/DM studies and studies that included only DM patients to obtain informative results.

Results

For PM/DM patients, the following factors are all associated with an increased risk of malignancy: older age, age greater than 45, male sex, dysphagia, cutaneous necrosis, cutaneous vasculitis, rapid onset of myostis (<4 weeks), elevated CK, higher ESR, higher CRP levels. Several factors were associated with lower-than-average risk, including the presence of ILD, arthritis/arthralgia, Raynaud's syndrome, or anti-Jo-1 antibody. For DM patients, results indicated an increased risk of malignancy with older age, male sex, the presence of cutaneous necrosis, elevated ESR (>35 mm/hr), higher CRP levels, or anti-p155 antibody. In addition, the presence of anti-ENA antibodies seem to be related to reduced risk of malignancy.

Conclusion

Awareness and implementation of early-stage cancer screening in PM/DM patients who have these identified factors – such as being older than 45, male sex, cutaneous necrosis, cutaneous vasculitis – are of crucial importance from public health and clinical perspectives and provide insight into the etiopathogenesis of CAM.

Cancer-associated myositis: a 35-year retrospective study of a monocentric cohort

This study is aimed at retrospectively studying cancer-associated inflammatory myopathies (CAM) in a cohort of patients with inflammatory myopathies. CAM were diagnosed if the tumor was diagnosed 2 years before or after disease onset. One hundred and sixty-two patients were included, 27 (17 %) had CAM. A significant association was observed between CAM and dermatomyositis (DM), older age and dysphagia at disease onset. CAM have lower creatine kinase (CK) levels at onset and a low prevalence of autoantibodies. In conclusion, the association of male sex, older age, DM, dysphagia at onset, lower CK, and autoantibodies negativity carries a high suspicion of CAM.

Clinical features of inflammatory myopathies and their association with malignancy: a systematic review in asian population

Introduction. Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs) are a group of chronic systemic autoimmune diseases that mainly affect the skeletal muscle. The common subtypes include adult dermatomyositis (DM), polymyositis (PM), and inclusion body myositis (IBM). Most of the earlier studies that described the clinical characteristics of IIM as well as their association with cancer were conducted in Western population. Our study is the first systematic review that summarizes the clinical data of DM/PM in Asian population. Methods. We identified 14 case series of DM/PM that met our eligibility criteria. We then compared this data with that from previous reports from Europe and North America. Results. Our systematic review included 2518 patients. Dermatomyositis is more common, with the ratio of dermatomyositis to polymyositis being 1.36 : 1. 69% of them were females with mean age of 45.5 years. Extramuscular manifestations, including arthritis/arthralgia, dysphagia, and interstitial lung disease, are found in one-third of the patients. Malignancy was found in 10% of patients, with lung and nasopharyngeal carcinomas being the most common malignancies associated with these myopathies. Conclusion. Clinical presentation of PM/DM appears to be similar in both Western and Asian populations. However, the type of associated malignancies in Asians differs from that in Caucasians. Ethnic background should be one of the factors that clinicians should consider while screening for malignancy.

Mortality factors in idiopathic inflammatory myopathy: focusing on malignancy and interstitial lung disease

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this study was to assess the incidence and common types of concomitant malignancies and to define predictive factors of death in Korean patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IIM).

METHODS

From January 1989 to May 2011, 162 patients were diagnosed with IIM at a university hospital in Korea. The medical records were retrospectively reviewed. The clinical findings of the patients were compared for malignancy, and the prognostic factors predicting death were analyzed.

RESULTS

Malignancies were found in 17 patients (10.5 %), all of whom had a significantly lower frequency of interstitial lung disease (ILD) and an older age at onset. The main causes of death were ILD and malignancy. Older age at diagnosis, presence of malignancy, rapidly progressive ILD and minimal creatinine phosphokinase (CPK) elevation were independent risk factors for death.

CONCLUSIONS

Malignancy was one of the most serious risk factor for death in our patients with IIM. Early discovery of malignancy is important, and an extensive investigation for common malignancies in each region should be done at diagnosis and for a minimum of 2 years thereafter. As minimally elevated CPK levels in ILD patients may be associated with fatal ILD, an early evaluation and a more aggressive treatment of ILD should be considered in these patients.

Paraneoplastic myalgias and myositis

There are several key observations on paraneoplastic myopathies: The risk of cancer associated with DM is very high, whereas risk of cancer associated with PM is mildly increased Most cancers develop within one year of the onset of myositis, although the risk remains high up to 5 years after diagnosis. The most common cancers associated with DM are adenocarcinoma, including lung, ovary, cervical, stomach, pancreas, colorectal and lymphoma, whereas PM is associated with a high risk of lymphoma. The clinical course of myopathy is closely linked with the course of cancer. Certain clinical features are associated with CAM including severe treatment resistant skin manifestations, severe muscle weakness, respiratory muscle weakness, and dysphagia, while some clinical features are protective such as arthritis, Raynaud, and ILD. Screening should be based on age, gender, ethnicity, and the geographic area of the patient; however, certain high-risk patients may require more extensive screening including tumor markers and thoracoabdominal–pelvic CT scans. Certain autoantibodies including anti-p155 and the absence of more common autoantibodies are associated with a higher risk of CAM, while the presence of antisynthetase autoantibodies lowers the risk for CAM. Although the pathogenesis of CAM is unclear, a plausible hypothesis is that immune responses generated against antigens commonly targeted in myositis are related to antitumor responses in affected individuals.

Paraneoplastic muscle disease

In paraneoplastic muscle disease, the malignancy may remotely affect neuromuscular transmission or incite muscle inflammation or necrosis. In several of these diseases, an autoimmune basis for the muscle disease has been established and has become a defining feature. These paraneoplastic muscle diseases may be the first manifestation of a malignancy, and their diagnosis thus demands a vigilant search for an underlying tumor. This article is focused on inflammatory and necrotizing myopathies and disorders of neuromuscular transmission that may arise in the setting of malignancy and are considered paraneoplastic phenomena.

Carcinoma of gall bladder presenting as dermatomyositis

Cancer-related muscle diseases are usually paraneoplastic disorders. Dermatomyositis (DM) is a type of inflammatory myopathy that is strongly associated with a broad range of malignant disorders. The malignancy can occur before, concomitantly or after the onset of myositis. The malignancies most commonly associated with DM are carcinomas of ovary, lung, stomach, colorectal and pancreas, as well as non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. An association of DM with carcinoma of the gall bladder (GB) is extremely rare with only two previously reported cases in the literature. We report a case of carcinoma of GB with DM as the paraneoplastic manifestation.

Clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies from Jordan 1996-2009

To describe demographic characteristics, clinical features and outcome of Jordanian patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM), a retrospective chart review of all patients diagnosed with IIM at Jordan University Hospital between 1996 and 2009 was carried out. Thirty patients with IIM were identified. Female to male ratio was 1.7:1, with mean age at diagnosis 34.3 ± 9.2 (10-72) years with bimodal presentation at 21 and 49 years and a mean follow-up of 6.5 ± 5.7 years. Eleven patients had polymyositis (PM); 19 patients had dermatomyositis (DM); 1 patient had DM with malignancy; 2 patients had juvenile DM; and 2 patients had DM/PM with other rheumatologic diseases. Raynaud's phenomenon was present in 26% of patients, dysphagia in 40%, fever in 16%, arthralgia/arthritis in 26%, and dyspnea was present in 26% patients. Positive muscle biopsy and EMG were present in 81% and 92% of patients, respectively. Elevated serum creatinine kinase (CK), AST/ALT and LDH were found in 90%, 72%, and 88% of patients at presentation, respectively. Interstitial fibrosis identified on high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) was found in 7/14 (50%) patients. Restrictive lung disease was present in 16/21 (76%), low diffusion capacity of lung of carbon monoxide (DLCO) in 10/17 (59%) and pulmonary hypertension in only 3/19 (16%) patients tested. Arab Jordanian patients with IIM showed very low prevalence of malignancy, lower mean age than previous reports, and similar other clinical, laboratory and serologic markers, and survival rate to previous reports. Of interest, we found that extra-muscular manifestations were mainly associated with dermatomyositis.

Cancer risks of dermatomyositis and polymyositis: a nationwide cohort study in Taiwan

Introduction

The association of idiopathic inflammatory myositis (IIM) and malignancies has been reported, but rarely in Asian countries. Our aim was to investigate the risk of cancer among IIM patients without a prior history of malignancies, in Taiwan.

Methods

We conducted a nationwide cohort study of 1,012 patients with dermatomyositis (DM) and 643 patients with polymyositis (PM), but without prior history of malignancies, utilizing the National Health Insurance Database from 1997 to 2007. Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) of cancers were analyzed.

Results

A total of 95 cancers (9.4%) in DM and 33 cancers (4.4%) in PM were identified. Overall cancer risk was significantly elevated in DM patients (SIR = 5.11, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 5.01 to 5.22) and PM patients (SIR = 2.15, 95% CI = 2.08 to 2.22). Most cancers were detected in the first year of observation. The risk of cancer decreased with observation time, yet remained elevated compared with the general population in both study groups after 5 years of follow-up. DM was associated with sustained elevated risk of cancers in every age group, whereas the risk of cancer in PM was highest in younger patients and decreased with age. DM patients were at the greatest risk of cancers of the nasopharynx, lungs and hematopoietic malignancies.

Conclusions

Patients with IIM are at increased risk for cancer and should receive age-appropriate and gender-appropriate malignancy evaluations, with additional assessment for nasopharyngeal, lung and hematologic malignancy following diagnosis, and with continued vigilance for development of cancers in follow-up.

[Polymyositis and dermatomyositis in adults. Tunisian multicentre study]

INTRODUCTION

To study the clinical features and the outcome of polymyositis (PM) and dermatomyositis (DM) in Tunisia.

METHODS

Retrospective multicentre study conducted by the Tunisian Society of Internal Medicine. Adult patients with confirmed and probable PM and DM, according to the Bohan and Peter's criteria, were included in the study and followed-up between 1987 and 2005.

RESULTS

Twenty cases of PM and 50 cases of DM were included. Female/male sex-ratio was 2.5. The mean age at diagnosis was 40.7 years. Muscle weakness concerned girdle muscles in 94.3% and pharyngeal muscles in 42.8% of the patients. Interstitial lung disease and heart involvement occurred respectively in 35.7 and 20%. Eyelid erythema, peri-ungual erythema and Gottron's sign occurred in respectively 86, 50 and 36% of the cases of DM. Malignant disease was found in 12.8% of the patients (mainly gynecological and nasopharyngeal cancers). All patients received high dose corticosteroids with additional immunosuppressive drugs in 40% of the cases. The outcome was stabilization or partial improvement in 71.5% of the cases. Death occurred in 20% and was caused by respiratory failure, sepsis and cardiac failure.

CONCLUSION

The particularities of PM and DM in Tunisia are the preponderance of DM, early onset of the disease and high frequency of the nasopharyngeal cancer.

Malignancies associated with dermatomyositis and polymyositis in Taiwan: a nationwide population-based study

BACKGROUND

Previous studies showed that idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM) carried an increased risk of cancers. However, no large-scale study of IIM has been conducted in the Chinese population.

OBJECTIVES

We sought to delineate the association of IIM and various cancer types from a nationwide database in Taiwan.

METHODS

We analysed the published national data from records of National Health Insurance claims. Cases of dermatomyositis (DM) and polymyositis (PM) from 2000 to 2005 and cancers registered in the catastrophic illness profile from 1997 to 2006 were collected. A nationally representative cohort of 1,000,000 enrollees was included for comparison.

RESULTS

In total, 136 patients (12.8%) among 1059 cases of DM and 46 persons (7.0%) among 661 cases of PM carried internal malignancies. Patients with DM tended to have cancers of nasopharynx, lung and breast. On the other hand, patients with PM tended to have breast, uterine cervix and lung cancers. Compared with the general population, DM gave a 10-fold increased risk for cancers, in which a 66-fold increased risk for nasopharyngeal carcinoma and a 31-fold increased risk for lung cancer were the two most significant. For patients with PM, a 6-fold increased risk for cancer was observed. Juvenile DM had a 16-fold increased risk for haematopoietic or lymphoid malignancy. Two thirds of comorbid malignancies were detected shortly after the diagnoses of IIM, within a mean of 1-2 years. Overall, younger patients with IIM carried the highest risk for malignancies, especially those in their twenties and thirties.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first large-scale study to report the associated malignancies and the cancer risk of IIM in Taiwan.