MS & ovarian cancer

Cancer incidence and mortality rates in multiple sclerosis: A matched cohort study

https://tinyurl.com/y63oh8uw

 

         Previous reviews of patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) showed an increased risk of breast and colon cancer. One of the recently developed drugs used in the treatment of MS, (Ocrevus) has been shown in clinical trials to increase the risk of breast cancer.

         This large population based survey compares cancer risks in a group of 54,000 MS patients with a control group of 264,000 people without MS. Retrospective search of the Canadian cancer registry shows no increased risk for breast or colon cancer.

         Risk of bladder and ovarian cancer is increased for MS patients. Possible reasons for this are the nature of the disease, with altered immune state and effects of treatment. Bladder cancer may be related to in-dwelling catheter placement.

         Ovarian cancer is approximately 50% more likely in patients with MS, meaning an increase in incidence from the normal 10 cases per 100,000 per annum, to about 15. The authors recommend active surveillance of MS patients, looking to detect ovarian cancer at an earlier stage.