Retrospective Analysis of Cancer with Behcets Disease: Single Center Experience

Abstract

Purpose: Behcets disease (BD) is a vasculitis of unknown origin. In autoimmune and vasculitic disorders the risk of malignancies has been extensively studied. In BD patients more than hundred cases associated with malignancies have been published. However, the direct relationship with BD has not been proved. We aimed to to investigate the incidence of malignancies in BD patients Material and Methods: Here in we assessed 105 cases retrospectively between 2005-2010 with BD diagnosed according to International Study Criteria (ISG) . The patient’s data were reviewed for development of histopathologically confirmed malignancy Results: One of our 105 patients with BD was found to have solid tumor in the rate of 0.9 %. The remaining 104 patients with BD were in follow up without any malignancy in this period. The malignancy that we reported was invasive right breast carcinoma in a 55-year-old woman with BD. A radically modified right mastectomy and axillary lymphadenectomy were performed and postoperative doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide therapy for four cycles and hormonal therapy with tamoxifen and leuprolide acetate was administered as adjuvant therapy. This patient had a history of 16 years colchicine usage as medication for BD. Conclusion:The rheumatologic diseases can predispose malignancy, the autoimmune nature of BD or the immunosupressive medicines could be possible causes of this carcinoma. However, in our study only one patient had malignancy. The another point of view; management and also prevention of cancer with BD is important entity.

Keywords

• Behcet’s disease
• cancer
• breast