Israeli researchers have investigated the risk of developing cancers other than thymoma in patients with autoimmune myasthenia gravis:
- data on 1,558 adults with myasthenia gravis were extracted from the Israeli Clalit health database, then compiled and compared with those of a control group;
- this group of patients had a higher rate of cancers (leukaemia or solid tumours combined) than the general population, both before and after the diagnosis and treatment of their myasthenia,
- lung cancers were the most common,
- risk factors included age, male gender and the presence of a thymoma,
- conversely, immunosuppressive treatments did not appear to influence tumour risk.
These findings should encourage earlier screening for cancer risk in patients with myasthenia gravis.
