A NEW nationwide study has revealed that patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) face a significantly increased risk of death from certain cancers, particularly lung and gynaecological malignancies, as well as T/NK lineage lymphomas. The research emphasises the need for proactive cancer screening and early detection in SSc patients to improve long-term outcomes.
Using data from the Spanish Hospital Discharge Database (2016-2019), researchers analysed 139,531 in-hospital cancer deaths, including 67 deaths among patients with SSc. While neoplasms accounted for 9.7% of all deaths in SSc patients, disease activity remained the primary cause at 11.5%. Compared to the general population, individuals with SSc had over twice the risk of dying from lung cancer (OR = 2.228) and nearly five times the risk of gynaecological cancers (OR = 4.804). The study also found a striking increase in mortality from uterine tumours (OR = 6.177) and ovarian carcinomas (OR = 3.456). Additionally, patients with SSc were nearly nine times more likely to die from T/NK lineage lymphomas (OR = 8.955).
These findings suggest that cancer should be a critical focus in the ongoing care of SSc patients. The study underscores the importance of implementing targeted cancer screening programs to enhance early detection and improve survival rates in this high-risk population.
Aleksandra Zurowska, EMJ
Reference
Martínez-Urbistondo M et al. Neoplasm related mortality risk in Systemic Sclerosis: a nationwide study. BMC Rheumatol. 2025; DOI: 10.1186/s41927-025-00477-z.
