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Cancer incidence in 13811 patients skin tested for allergy

Eriksson, NE ; Mikoczy, Zoli LU and Hagmar, L (2005) In Journal of Investigational Allergology & Clinical Immunology 15(3). p.161-166
Abstract
Aim. Several studies have shown a negative correlation between cancer and atopy-related diseases. There are also a few reports of a positive relationship. We wanted to further evaluate these relationships in a prospective study. Subjects and methods. The incidence of malignant diseases among adult patients with atopy-related diseases (asthma, rhinitis, urticaria, eczema etc; n=13811), who had been skin prick tested in 1976-1999 was compared with the incidence in the general population. Expected cancer incidence from the date of skin prick testing up to 1999 was obtained from cause-, sex-, calendar-year-, and 5-year-age-group specific incidence rates for the county. These rates were calculated from cancer incidence and population counts... (More)
Aim. Several studies have shown a negative correlation between cancer and atopy-related diseases. There are also a few reports of a positive relationship. We wanted to further evaluate these relationships in a prospective study. Subjects and methods. The incidence of malignant diseases among adult patients with atopy-related diseases (asthma, rhinitis, urticaria, eczema etc; n=13811), who had been skin prick tested in 1976-1999 was compared with the incidence in the general population. Expected cancer incidence from the date of skin prick testing up to 1999 was obtained from cause-, sex-, calendar-year-, and 5-year-age-group specific incidence rates for the county. These rates were calculated from cancer incidence and population counts obtained from the Swedish Cancer Register. The 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for cause-specific standardized incidence ratios (SIRS) were calculated. Skin prick tests were performed with Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, horse, dog, cat, timothy, mugwort, birch, and Cladosporium. Patients having one or several positive skin prick test reactions (>= 2+) were regarded as atopics. Results. 119 cases of cancer occurred among 6224 atopic individuals (SIR 1.0) compared with 216 cases (SIR 0.94, CI 0.82-1.08) among 6358 non-atopics. There was a slight excess of Hodgkin's lymphoma cases among atopic men (SIR 4.03, 95% CI 1-10.3), and of non Hodgkin lymphoma cases among atopic women (SIR 4.52, 95% CI 1.23-11.6). However, a large number of comparisons were made which can have caused random findings. Conclusions. The results showed no associations between atopy or allergic symptoms, and subsequent cancer risk, but supported the theory that type-I allergy is not related to cancer risk. (Less)
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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
cancer, atopy-related diseases, allergic rhinitis, allergy, asthma, skin prick test, malignancies
in
Journal of Investigational Allergology & Clinical Immunology
volume
15
issue
3
pages
161 - 166
publisher
Hogrefe & Huber Publishers
external identifiers
  • pmid:16261950
  • wos:000232711600001
  • scopus:27544432071
ISSN
1698-0808
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
e72785db-f758-4819-976f-f2e7148d06eb (old id 218747)
alternative location
http://www.jiaci.org/issues/vol15issue03/vol15issue03-1.htm
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 12:05:24
date last changed
2022-01-26 22:40:44
@article{e72785db-f758-4819-976f-f2e7148d06eb,
  abstract     = {{Aim. Several studies have shown a negative correlation between cancer and atopy-related diseases. There are also a few reports of a positive relationship. We wanted to further evaluate these relationships in a prospective study. Subjects and methods. The incidence of malignant diseases among adult patients with atopy-related diseases (asthma, rhinitis, urticaria, eczema etc; n=13811), who had been skin prick tested in 1976-1999 was compared with the incidence in the general population. Expected cancer incidence from the date of skin prick testing up to 1999 was obtained from cause-, sex-, calendar-year-, and 5-year-age-group specific incidence rates for the county. These rates were calculated from cancer incidence and population counts obtained from the Swedish Cancer Register. The 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for cause-specific standardized incidence ratios (SIRS) were calculated. Skin prick tests were performed with Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, horse, dog, cat, timothy, mugwort, birch, and Cladosporium. Patients having one or several positive skin prick test reactions (>= 2+) were regarded as atopics. Results. 119 cases of cancer occurred among 6224 atopic individuals (SIR 1.0) compared with 216 cases (SIR 0.94, CI 0.82-1.08) among 6358 non-atopics. There was a slight excess of Hodgkin's lymphoma cases among atopic men (SIR 4.03, 95% CI 1-10.3), and of non Hodgkin lymphoma cases among atopic women (SIR 4.52, 95% CI 1.23-11.6). However, a large number of comparisons were made which can have caused random findings. Conclusions. The results showed no associations between atopy or allergic symptoms, and subsequent cancer risk, but supported the theory that type-I allergy is not related to cancer risk.}},
  author       = {{Eriksson, NE and Mikoczy, Zoli and Hagmar, L}},
  issn         = {{1698-0808}},
  keywords     = {{cancer; atopy-related diseases; allergic rhinitis; allergy; asthma; skin prick test; malignancies}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{161--166}},
  publisher    = {{Hogrefe & Huber Publishers}},
  series       = {{Journal of Investigational Allergology & Clinical Immunology}},
  title        = {{Cancer incidence in 13811 patients skin tested for allergy}},
  url          = {{http://www.jiaci.org/issues/vol15issue03/vol15issue03-1.htm}},
  volume       = {{15}},
  year         = {{2005}},
}