RESEARCH - Patients taking TNF inhibitors had no increase in cancer risk over 6 years

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Study Eases Arthritis Drug Cancer Fears

Patients Taking TNF Inhibitors Had No Increase in Cancer Risk Over 6 Years

By Salynn Boyles

WebMD Health News

Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

Oct. 29, 2009 - Rheumatoid arthritis patients who take the biologic

drugs Remicade, Humira, and Enbrel do not appear to have an increased

risk for developing cancer in the first few years of use, researchers

in Sweden report.

The study is one of the largest and longest population-based

investigations ever into the cancer-causing potential of the drugs,

known as tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors.

TNF inhibitors were introduced a decade ago, and they represent a

significant advance in the treatment of patients with rheumatoid

arthritis, Crohn’s disease, and other diseases of the immune system

who do not respond to traditional treatments.

Concerns that the drugs may cause cancer emerged soon after they were

introduced, and the research examining the question has been mixed.

The new findings should reassure patients, but questions remain about

the short-term and long-term safety of TNF-blocking drugs,

rheumatologist Matteson, MD, of Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.,

tells WebMD.

The Swedish researchers found no difference in cancer risk among

rheumatoid arthritis patients who did and did not take the drugs over

six years of follow-up.

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Read the full article here:

http://www.webmd.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/news/20091029/study-eases-arthritis-dr\

ug-cancer-fears

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