Link Between Skin Cancer and Lymphoid Cancers
Author Information
Author(s): McKenna D B, Stockton D, Brewster D H, Doherty V R
Primary Institution: Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
Hypothesis
Is there an association between cutaneous malignant melanoma (CM) and lymphoid malignancies like non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) and chronic lymphatic leukaemia (CLL)?
Conclusion
The study found an increased risk of both NHL and CLL following a diagnosis of CM and vice versa.
Supporting Evidence
- There was a statistically significant 130% increased risk of CLL recorded following a diagnosis of CM.
- The risk of NHL was greater in patients diagnosed with CM before the age of 50 years, but this was not statistically significant.
- The significantly higher risk of CLL developing after the age of 50 years may be in keeping with the average age of onset of CLL.
Takeaway
People with skin cancer might also get other types of blood cancers, and this happens more often in men.
Methodology
The study used a population-based cancer registry to track patients with CM, NHL, or CLL from 1975 to 1997 and analyzed the occurrence of subsequent cancers.
Potential Biases
Increased medical surveillance may have led to detection bias for subsequent cancers.
Limitations
The study's power to detect significant risks in younger patients was limited due to small sample sizes.
Participant Demographics
The median age at diagnosis for CM was 57.3 years, with 3465 males identified.
Statistical Information
P-Value
<0.05
Confidence Interval
(1.1, 4.4)
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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