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Psoriasis therapy and the risk of skin cancers
Author(s) -
MALIGERRITS M.G.H.,
GAASBEEK D.,
BOEZEMAN J.,
KERKHOF P.C.M.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
clinical and experimental dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.587
H-Index - 78
eISSN - 1365-2230
pISSN - 0307-6938
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2230.1991.tb00314.x
Subject(s) - medicine , psoriasis , dermatology , puva therapy , methotrexate , skin cancer , cancer
Summary Photochemotherapy (PUVA) and methotrexate (MTX) are treatments frequently prescribed in patients with severe psoriasis. However, both treatments have carcinogenic potential. A group of 227 patients, who had been treated with PUVA, MTX or the combination, was investigated for the presence of cancer of the skin. As a control, the partners of these patients were investigated at the same visit. Cancers of the skin were observed in 15 out of 227 psoriatics, compared to one out of 95 control subjects. In the psoriatic patients a previous history of skin cancer, arsenic intake and X–ray treatment were observed more frequently. The increased frequency of skin cancers in psoriatics treated with PUVA, MTX and the combination of both, justifies regular surveillance on skin cancer in these patients.