Influence of inflammatory polyarthritis on cancer incidence and survival: results from a community-based prospective study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether the incidence of cancer is increased and whether the rate of cancer survival is reduced in patients following the onset of inflammatory polyarthritis.

CONCLUSION: This is the first investigation of overall cancer survival in patients with inflammatory polyarthritis. Compared with an increased incidence of cancer, reduced cancer survival might be a greater contributor to the increased cancer mortality observed in some rheumatoid arthritis populations.