Fw: Cancer Risk Lower In Multiple Sclerosis Patients

[Guest guest]

Cancer Risk Lower In Multiple Sclerosis Patients

Current ratings for:

Cancer Risk Lower In Multiple Sclerosis Patients

Patient / Public:

5 (1 votes) Healthcare Prof:

Individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) are less likely to develop

cancer, according to researchers.

The study, conducted by researchers at the University of British Columbia

and Vancouver Coastal Health, is published in the journal Brain.

Lead author of the study Elaine Kingwell, a postdoctoral fellow in the UBC

Faculty of Medicine and Brain Research Center at UBC and VCH Research

Institute, explained:

" Because the immune system plays important roles in both _cancer_

(http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/info/cancer-oncology/) and MS, we wanted to

know

whether the risk of cancer is different for people with MS. Not only did MS

patients have a lower overall cancer risk, the risk for _colorectal cancer_

(http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155598.php) in particular was

significantly lower. "

After comparing diagnoses of cancer in MS patients in British Columbia

with those of the general public, the researchers discovered that MS patients

were less likely to develop cancer. In particular MS patients had a lower

risk of developing colorectal cancer. However, the team found that these

patients had a slightly increased risk of developing brain and bladder cancer,

although this increase was not significant. Furthermore, the risk for

non-melanoma _skin cancer_ (http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/154322.php)

was significantly higher among patients with relapsing-onset MS.

The researchers note that further studies are required in order to

understand why MS patients have a reduced overall risk of developing cancer.

The researchers also found that MS patients who developed cancer usually

had larger tumors at time of diagnosis. They state that more researcher is

needed to find out why some tumors might be caught later in individuals with

MS.

Helen Tremlett, associate professor in the UBC Faculty of Medicine, said:

" Because the symptoms of MS can be broad and include feelings of _fatigue_

(http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/8877.php) , it's possible the

symptoms of cancer are being masked or overlooked. "

Tremlett states that MS patients and their physicians should continue to

follow cancer screening guidelines, regardless of the study findings. A

follow-up study is planned in order for the researchers to determine if cancer

mortality rates are altered in MS patients.

Written by Grace Rattue

Copyright: Medical News Today

Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today