A NEW study has found a potential causal relationship between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and an increased risk of prostate cancer (PCa), offering fresh insights into the connection between autoimmune diseases and cancer. The study used Mendelian randomisation (MR) analyses to determine whether RA, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) contribute to PCa risk.
Researchers conducted a two-sample MR analysis using genetic data from genome-wide association studies. Their findings indicated that genetically predicted RA was associated with an increased likelihood of developing prostate cancer, with an odds ratio of 1.036 (95% CI: 1.022–1.049, P < 0.001). This association remained significant even after adjusting for common risk factors such as smoking and obesity in multivariable MR analyses.
However, no significant causal links were found between SLE or AS and prostate cancer, suggesting that RA may have distinct mechanisms that contribute to increased cancer susceptibility. The researchers also performed a reverse MR analysis to determine whether prostate cancer could predispose individuals to RA, SLE, or AS, but found no evidence of such a relationship.
The study’s findings contribute to the growing understanding of the interplay between chronic inflammation, immune dysfunction, and cancer risk. RA is characterized by persistent systemic inflammation, which may promote an environment conducive to cancer development. While the exact mechanisms remain unclear, chronic inflammation has long been suspected of playing a role in oncogenesis.
The authors emphasised that their results provide new perspectives on prostate cancer risk factors and highlight the need for further research. Future studies could explore the biological pathways linking RA to prostate cancer and investigate whether anti-inflammatory treatments for RA influence prostate cancer incidence.
Given these findings, healthcare providers may need to monitor prostate cancer risk more closely in men with RA. Although more research is needed, the study suggests that autoimmune diseases should be considered when assessing cancer susceptibility.
Aleksandra Zurowska, EMJ
Reference
Ye S et al. Causal relationship between rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, ankylosing spondylitis and risk of prostate cancer: Multivariable and bidirectional Mendelian-randomization analyses. Medicine. 2025;104(2):e41242.
