Study: Psoriasis and Colorectal Cancer Association

The relation between psoriasis and colorectal cancer (CRC) is not yet clear, but nowin a recent study, researchers for the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology (JAAD) have investigated the association.

A systematic review and meta-analysis conducted on the observation studies examined the association of psoriasis with CRC. Both MEDLINE and Embase was searched on March 24, 2020, for relevant studies and the Newcastle-Ottawa scale was utilized to evaluate the risk of bias of the included studies. After, a random-effects model meta-analysis and subgroup analysis was conducted according to sex.

In total, 9 cohort studies with 10,544,609 subjects were included. A significantly increased risk for CRC in patients with psoriasis was discovered (hazard ratio [HR], 1.16; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.08-1.24). Also, the subgroups analysis according to sex found significantly increased risk for CRC in female patients with psoriasis (HR, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.16-1.72) but not in male patients (HR, 1.18; 95% CI, 0.92-1.50), according to researchers. The data was limited by the lack of information on psoriatic arthritis.

The researchers concluded that patients with psoriasis have an increased risk for CRC:“Gastroenterology consultation and colonoscopic examination are indicated for patients with psoriasis presenting with bowel symptoms.”

Reference:

Fu Y, Lee CH, Chi CC. Association of psoriasis with colorectal cancer. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 2021;85(6):1429-1436. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2020.09.050