Cancer increase

[rygon]

I know that Remicade can cause a higher risk in certain types of cancer, but does anyone know the percentage increase. and the number per, say 100 000, before and after?

 

[PsychoJane]

If I remember right I think it's like 2-3 fold generally speaking. I do know it varies with the type of cancers but I can't find the publication I read atm. On the overall, I think it's about 1% of the people that takes anti-tnf that gets cancer that could be link to them.

 

[DustyKat]

Hey Rygon,

You might find these two articles of interest...

The next couple lines in there refer to cancers, something specifically called non-Hodgkin lymphoma. I think, at least in my practice, when I’m prescribing these medications, this is where I spend most of my time talking with patients and their families about the real risks of cancers that are associated with these. And I find when I look around the Internet for information, this is what pops up most often. So we do have to put things in perspective here. The risk of developing lymphoma or non-Hodgkin lymphoma, which really is the main cancer that we worry about with these medications, is only about 4 people out of 10,000 people who take it. To keep that in perspective, on no medications, just a random person walking around the street in the United States has approximately a risk of 2 people out of 10,000. So although if you were writing a news article, you might write that these medications double your risk of cancer, really what we’re talking about is 2 people out of 10,000 and increasing that to 4 people out of 10,000. I did put a line there because of course having lymphoma is not the only thing you have to worry about. Is it treatable? Can you make it through? Fortunately, more than two thirds of people who develop these lymphomas are actually treated completely, and it’s not a further problem. So, again, not something you want, but treatable if it develops.

Source:

http://www.ccfa.org/webcasts/Risk%20and%20BenefitsTranscript.pdf

http://www.mendeley.com/research/systematic-review-factors-contribute-hepatosplenic-tcell-lymphoma-patients-inflammatory-bowel-disease-2/#page-1

Dusty.

 

[IAmTheWalrus]

0.4% or 0.6% with concurrent therapy. Read the link that DustyKat posted, it really puts everything into perspective.

Also, I would like to add that the rare and usually fatal type of cancer is, 25 people were diagnosed with it, but that was out of 400,000 people. Again it's explained in the link that Dusty posted and in my signature.

 

[Miss Underestimated]

And - you have to include the chances of getting cancer just from having Crohns when you are weighing the odds.

 

[IAmTheWalrus]

And - you have to include the chances of getting cancer just from having Crohns when you are weighing the odds.

I've never ever heard of any link with Crohn's and Lymphoma, only Bowel cancer but that's if your intestines are taking a battering from active disease, it's all about getting under control.

 

[Miss Underestimated]

Sorry, I wasn't clear - I was referring to colon cancer if untreated.

 

[SarahAnne]

My GI decided to mention - twice! - yesterday how important it is to cover up and put on sunscreen in the summer when you're on Remicade. I've never heard about an increased risk of skin cancer, or issues with being on Remicade and being in the sunlight?

Anyone ever hear this? Does anyone on Remicade experience sensitivity to the sunlight? I know there are quite a few meds that will increase sun sensitivity, but this is the first time I think I've heard it related to Remicade.

 

[Christie]

I was also told to cover up in the sun, a guy i know was telling me he got skin cancr while on infliximab!

 

[IAmTheWalrus]

I only thought that was Aza and/or 6-MP, never heard of it with regards to Remi or Humira ....

 

[PsychoJane]

Hmm apparently You may have a higher chance of getting skin cancer while receiving REMICADE. I just read it in the fda report. :http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm089023.pdf. There is no statistic. It only says that that.

 

[SarahAnne]

Thanks for the link PsychoJane! I found the info, seems like it was thrown in randomly. I expected it to be listed along with the other cancers that it is linked to, the ones like lymphoma that are listed in the very top as possible side effects.