Editor's Choice Main Category: Cancer / Oncology Also Included In: Colorectal Cancer;Multiple Sclerosis Article Date: 28 Jun 2012 - 9:00 PDT

Current ratings for: Cancer Risk Lower In Multiple Sclerosis Patients

3 (2 votes)

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:

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 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, 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.

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Cancer Risk Lower In Multiple Sclerosis Patients