PATIENTS with autoimmune skin diseases (ASDs) may have improved survival following cancer treatment, according to a large population-based study, suggesting a possible immunologic advantage in oncologic outcomes.
In a nationwide cohort of nearly 200,000 people with cancer receiving chemotherapy, targeted therapy, or immunotherapy, individuals diagnosed with autoimmune skin diseases, including alopecia areata, vitiligo, Sjögren syndrome, psoriasis, and others, experienced significantly lower all-cause and cancer-specific mortality compared to those without such conditions. The analysis, based on data from Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Database and Cancer Registry, spanned diagnoses between January 2019 and June 2021, with follow-up completed in April 2025.
After adjusting for confounding factors using both inverse probability of treatment weighting and propensity score matching, patients with ASDs demonstrated a hazard ratio of 0.94 (95% CI, 0.92–0.96) for all-cause mortality and a subdistribution hazard ratio of 0.94 (95% CI, 0.92–0.96) for cancer-specific mortality. These findings indicate a modest but consistent survival advantage in this population.
The study also highlighted that certain ASD subtypes, notably alopecia areata and Sjögren syndrome, were more strongly associated with lower mortality risk. This raises questions about the possible protective role of immune hyperactivity in these patients, particularly in the context of cancers that often develop through immune evasion.
While the biological mechanisms remain to be fully elucidated, these findings point to a compelling intersection between autoimmunity and tumor immunology. The authors underscore the need for further studies to determine whether ASD-associated immune profiles could inform future cancer therapies or stratification strategies.
These results contribute to a growing interest in leveraging immune signatures in cancer care and may open new avenues for risk assessment and personalized treatment planning.
Reference:
To S-Y et al. Autoimmune Skin Diseases and Survival Outcomes After Antineoplastic Treatment in Patients With Cancer. JAMA Dermatol. 2025. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2025.1949. [Online ahead of print]
