Case Points to Link Between Crohn's Treatment, Cancer

Satsangi's team believes that ex-smokers and people with a history of lung disease taking these medications should be carefully monitored, especially those aged 65 and older.

Lichtenfeld agreed that there have been concerns about the use of these drugs and the development of cancers, particularly lymphoma.

The new report implies that the woman's immune system was keeping the lung cancer in check, but that anti-TNF treatment interfered with her immune response, allowing the cancer to become evident, Lichtenfeld said. "[But] when the drug was withdrawn, the body's native mechanism was re-energized and was able to put this cancer into remission," he explained.

Whether this finding applies to all people taking anti-TNF medications isn't clear, Lichtenfeld added. "Will all patients who received this medication, when it is withdrawn, see their lung cancers go away? I don't think you can draw that conclusion from this report," he said.

"Unusual case reports have been a feature of medicine for a long time," Lichtenfeld said, and whether or not this report has implications for understanding and treating cancer generally remains uncertain. "However, I am sure this report will spark discussion about those questions," he said.

More information

There's more on biologic drugs at the American College of Rheumatology.

SOURCES: Jack Satsangi, D.Phil., professor, gastroenterology, University of Edinburgh, Scotland; Len Lichtenfeld, M.D., deputy chief medical officer, American Cancer Society, Atlanta; July 17, 2008,New England Journal of Medicine