Psoriasis and cancer

[Ron50]

Every time I use the abbreviation meth I forget it is the abbreviation for a couple of naughty drugs. In australia we generally use the full methotrexate term for the drug,mtx is still not that commonly used except in dr research jargon. I have a very english nephrologist who bugs the hell out of me by calling it Meeeethotrexate. I am unique amogst my friends and acquaintances in that I have never even tried any of the recreational drugs. Then I think about what I have taken in the past 15 years ,yes I guess I do drugs ,as a lifestyle ,not a recreation. Ron.

[Angiemarie2000]

I spoke to my onc about this today and she said she searched up clinical trails and did not find any nor any reports that have looked into this. But that she understand and see all types of skin condition go away with chemo. Just had really no insight into psoriasis being a connection with cancer. I still think there could be.

Angie

[beth568]

I have some mild psoriasis - right now it's mostly affecting my eyelids (which is really nasty) and a couple of spots on my scalp.

One of the very few benefits of my "cancer year" was that these skin problems completely disappeared during chemo. Now - I'd much rather be cancer-free and managing skin issues than the other way around, but the psoriasis does seem to have flared and is worse now than it's ever been. I'm seeing a dermatologist right after my oncology check-up on Friday.

Interesting thought about autoimmune conditions and cancer...

[Busymamaof3]

I found this interesting as several years ago my elbows and scalp got horrible. I attributed it to dry skin and hormones but now I wonder. I also read an article about cea levels and it said psoriasis can trigger elevated levels with no cancer present. Clearly there is something to this link....

[Kathryn in MN]

I've never had psoriasis. I had two second-cousins that did and both had different cancers at young ages. One died in his late 30's and the other in his early 50's - both from cancer.

[Maia]

My friend (who had large B-cell lymphoma, has follicular lymphoma and colon cancer) has a little psoriasis also, that comes and goes --and allergies, and other autoimmune issues.

Because of what I've seen, chemotherapeutic and targeted therapies help against psoriasis, very often. It has sense, since in psoriasis there are cells (skin cells) dividing too fast (it's the result of a speeding up in the growth cycle of skin cells), as in cancer. My friend was told by her onc that capecitabine (Xeloda) was tried as an agent against psoriasis. Months ago, I was curious about it, searched and found this 2006 patent: Method of orally treating inflammatory skin conditions with prodrugs of 5-fluorouracil http://www.pharmcast.com/Patents100/Yr2 ... 041106.htm (which you could translate: Psoriasis treatament with capecitabine (Xeloda)).

And since she's about to start Avastin and I'm her cheerleader , I was looking for good info for her and found this: Complete remission of psoriasis following bevacizumab therapy for colon cancer (which you could translate: maybe that Avastin will get rid of the psoriasis also!)

Clin Exp Dermatol. 2009 Jul;34(5):e202-4. Epub 2008 Dec 9.
Complete remission of psoriasis following bevacizumab therapy for colon cancer
Akman A, Yilmaz E, Mutlu H, Ozdogan M.

Source
Department of Dermatology and Venerology, School of Medicine Antalya, Antalya, Turkey. aakman@akdeniz.edu.tr
Abstract
Bevacizumab is a monoclonal antibody against vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which is used to treat several cancers. Currently, experience with anti-VEGF treatment for psoriasis is limited, and no published reports on this use exist. We describe a patient with metastatic colon cancer and psoriasis who experienced complete remission of psoriasis during treatment with bevacizumab and combination chemotherapy without any other treatment for psoriasis. These data suggest that bevacizumab may be a promising therapeutic agent for the treatment of psoriasis.

[kiwiinoz]

Hi all

I have had psoriasis since I was 14 (25 years) and was diagnosed with rectal cancer Dec 2012 after being on auto immune suppresses like humira, enbrel, methotrexate and finally stelara. I believe that it was these mess that helped develop the cancer so I will never use them again

I say now I can live with P but will die from C

Interestingly my P has really improved since Dx due to cutting out alcohol, coffee and increasing fibre intake by way of eating more fruit and veggies. I am also taking vitamin d supplements which supposedly help with CRC & P

Made a great read and insightful comments

[Jachut]

I don't have psoriasis but looking back, given the 6-10 year time frame it takes a good size tumour to develop, I had lapband surgery and had a steady and dramatic 100lb weight loss over two years. In my mind I can see all those fat cells pouring their toxins out into my system as te energy in them was used up. I really wonder if tree was any causative relationship.

[JennyB]

Not really anything significant to add, but my husband just got diagnosed with psoriasis last week.

[ibcaree]

I too have psoriasis. I was researching it tonight and read a theory that psoriasis is a reaction to inflammation in the intestines (Book - Healing Psoriasis). I then decided to research any links between colon cancer and psoriasis. It seems I'm not the only one wondering the same thing. Interesting.

[Ron50]

I still have mild psoriasis but my psoriatic arthritis now much worse. I have grade two ankylosing spondylitis with fusions and pars fractures , also auto immune , I have asthma requiring symbicort preventative and ventolin back up. I have pulmonary oedema which is referred to as pseudo asthma. I have an unknown auto- immune disease of the kidneys causing nephrotic syndrome, up to seven plus grams of protein a day lost thru the urine. They have stopped treating me with methotrexate because it was causing flares in my severe motor sensori peripheral neuropathy. I now take 75 mg of cyclosporine twice a day. On the 22nd of Jan I finished year 16 of survival and started year seventeen ex stage 3 c colon cancer into six nodes. I no longer have any fn idea of what is going to kill me and I''m not sure if I really care any more. The past sixteen years have been unpleasant. Surviving survival is not easy. Ron.

[iitg.ritesh]

I also had psoriasis from past 15 years. After chemo it got clear. I read somewhere that person with psoriasis has hyper active immunity but seems mess in immunity.

[hawkowl]

Psoriatic arthritis here....worsening nail pitting and joint pain in the last two years, responded well to humira. Now on FOLFOX plus Celebrex so joints are ok, skin does well with decadron but then flares prior to each infusion

Yes I think my arthritis and fatigue and nail pitting are an immunologic reaction to my rectal ca. God willing all of of this crap will clear up if I respond to treatment.

[rocks]

hi everyone- this question about psioris and cancer is one I myself have wondered about and bought it up with my surgeon and oncos- who were not interested. I developed a small patch on my left foot after my son was born- a late baby I was 40. The psioris greW slowly over the next 3 years- but in the last 12 months it doubled and began to spread further. At this time i was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer in the left breast which had travelled to 13 lymth nodes. I had the surgery and soon after I watched the pisioris completely dissapear- I did not do chemo or radiation- as i was not convinced it was right for me- much to the amazement of doctors. i am now 10 months out- tests in 2 months to see if cancer is spreading. I have a ki67 cancer of only 5% so it is a slow one- it had a size of 8 cm when it was found. So there is a link with the psioris and cancer- and its return might mean my cancer is spreading ? not sure. Also the chemo may or may not be the reason it goes away. cheers best of luck everyone

[gummiax]

I was taking Simponi for psoriatic arthritis, but it works the same as Humira, and other self injectors. Both of my oncologists knew I was on it, but neither told me you cannot take it with cancer. My arthitis dr finally told me. It stops the body's ability to fight the cancer cells itself.