Cancer and autoimmunity: autoimmune and rheumatic features in patients with malignancies. Issue 5 (1st May 2001)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Abu-Shakra, M; Buskila, D; Ehrenfeld, M; Conrad, K; Shoenfeld, Y
• Is Part Of: Annals of the rheumatic diseases. Volume 60:Issue 5(2001)
• Page Start: 433
• Page End: 441
• Publication Date: 2001-05-01
• Subjects: Rheumatism -- Periodicals; 616.723005
• DOI: 10.1136/ard.60.5.433
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0003-4967

Abstract

Abstract : OBJECTIVES: To review the autoimmune and rheumatic manifestations of patients with malignancy. METHODS: A Medline search of all published papers using keywords related to malignancies, autoimmunity, rheumatic diseases, and paraneoplastic syndromes. RESULTS: Patients with malignant diseases may develop autoimmune phenomena and rheumatic diseases as a result of ( a ) generation of autoantibodies against various autoantigens, including oncoproteins (P185, 1-myc, c-myc, c-myb), tumour suppression genes (P53), proliferation associated antigens (cyclin A, B1, D1, E; CENP-F; CDK, U3-RNP), onconeural antigens (Hu, Yo, Ri, Tr), cancer/testis antigens (MAGE, GAGE, BAGE, SSX, ESO, SCP, CT7), and rheumatic disease associated antigens (RNP, Sm). The clinical significance of the various autoantibodies is not clear. Anti-oncoprotein and anti-tumour suppression gene antigens are detected before the diagnosis of the cancer or in the early stages of the malignant disease, suggesting a potential diagnostic or prognostic role. Anti-onconeural antibodies are pathogenic and are associated with specific clinical neurological syndromes (anti-Hu syndrome and others). ( b ) Paraneoplastic syndromes, a wide range of clinical syndromes, including classic autoimmune rheumatic diseases that develop among patients with cancer. ( c ) Rheumatism after chemotherapy, a clinical entity characterised by the development of musculoskeletal symptoms after combination chemotherapy for malignancy. CONCLUSION: Autoimmune and rheumatic features are not rare among patients with malignancies. They are the result of various diverse mechanisms and occasionally they may be associated with serious clinical entities.