Mortality and risk of cancer in systemic connective tissue diseases

The systemic connective tissue diseases represent a broad spectrum of multiorgan disorders. This report reviews our current knowledge of mortality and the risk of cancer in these diseases. The relationship between clinical manifestations and reduced survival in systemic sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus and polyarteritis nodosa is addressed in detail. Moreover, we outline the increased risks of cancer in dermatomyositis and lymphoma in primary Sjögren's syndrome, as well as cancer of the bladder in patients with Wegener's granulomatosis who have been treated with cyclophosphamide. Finally, the conflicting results regarding mortality in temporal arteritis are discussed.