{
  "abstract": "Objective Autoimmune rheumatic diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA), have recently been associated with an increased risk of cancer, particularly head and neck cancer (HNC). This study aimed to assess the risk of HNCs in patients with RA, focusing on the impact of serological status and specific HNC sites.Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted using data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service. A total of 40 990 patients with RA were divided into seropositive and seronegative RA groups, matched with 204 950 non-RA controls. Cox proportional hazards models were used to calculate adjusted HRs (aHRs) for HNCs, adjusting for important covariates such as smoking, alcohol consumption and comorbidities.Results Patients with RA had an increased risk of overall HNCs (aHR: 1.53, 95% CI 1.12 to 2.09) compared with controls, with a significantly higher risk for pharyngeal cancer (aHR: 2.20, 95% CI 1.33 to 3.64). However, RA showed no significant association with oral, salivary or laryngeal cancer. The analysis stratified by seropositivity status revealed no significant difference in the risk of HNCs between seropositive and seronegative RA groups.Conclusion Patients with RA have an increased risk of developing overall HNCs, particularly pharyngeal cancer. However, no significant association was found for other HNC types. Further research is warranted to better understand the potential link between RA and increased pharyngeal cancer risk.",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Family Medicine, Wonkwang University Sanbon Hospital, Gunpo, Republic of Korea"
      ],
      "name": "Dagyeong Lee"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Family Medicine, CHA Gumi Medical Center, CHA University School of Medicine, Gumi, Republic of Korea"
      ],
      "name": "Keun Hye Jeon"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Medical Statistics, College of Medicine, Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea"
      ],
      "name": "Jinhyung Jung"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science, Soongsil University, Seoul, Republic of Korea"
      ],
      "name": "Kyungdo Han"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Samsung C&T Medical Clinic, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea"
      ],
      "name": "Mi Hee Cho"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Family Medicine/Supportive Care Center, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea"
      ],
      "name": "In Young Cho"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Family Medicine/Supportive Care Center, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea",
        "Department of Clinical Research Design & Evaluation, Samsung Advanced Institute for Health Science & Technology (SAIHST), Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul, Republic of Korea"
      ],
      "name": "Dong Wook Shin"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Head and neck cancer risk in patients with rheumatoid arthritis compared with matched controls: a nationwide cohort study",
  "uid": "d2372d19-daa5-5d39-a8f1-4dfbaf543843"
}