BAD response to ‘Association of Psoriasis With the Risk of Developing or Dying of Cancer’

Professor Brian Kirby, British Association of Dermatologists (consultant dermatologist), said, “This study reports that the risk of certain cancers and of dying from cancer are increased in psoriasis patients compared to controls. Patients with more severe disease are at a higher risk. It is important to recognize that this study shows that psoriasis is associated with certain cancers and that studies such as this do not suggest that psoriasis causes cancer. This would require significantly larger and differently designed studies to assess causation.

“As stated by the authors, certain factors associated with psoriasis and in particular more severe psoriasis such as obesity, cigarette smoking and excessive alcoholic intake are all strongly associated with certain cancers. The findings of this study therefore probably reflect an excess of risk factors in the psoriasis population rather than the disease itself. If these factors were controlled, then the risk from psoriasis alone would be probably very small. Patients with psoriasis along with everybody else should follow general health advice regarding cancer prevention.”