Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal articles from the past week on RheumNow.com, including Rheumatology success in the NRMP MATCH, Cocaine vasculitis and worrisome safety risks with Biologics and tsDMARDs.
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A retrospective study of cancer patients who developed immune checkpoint inhibitor-associated inflammatory arthritis (ICI-IA) shows that biologic DMARDs were more effective than conventional synthetic DMARDs (csDMARDs) in rapid control of arthritis.
The EMA has updated recommendations regarding the use of JAK inhibitors by issuing a direct healthcare professional communication summarizing the data and warnings regarding an increased risk of malignancy, major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), serious infections, VTE, and mortality in some patients receiving JAKi for the treatment of chronic inflammatory disorders.
Dr. Jack Cush Reviews the News and Journal articles from the past week on RheumNow. This weeks highlights includes insights on scleroderma, myositis, vasculitis and answers the question - does aggressive biologic treatment of psoriasis prevent future psoriatic arthritis?
There are several reports suggesting a link between methotrexate (MTX) use and certain skin cancers, yet these are confounded by a higher risk of skin cancers with inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis of which MTX is the most common treatment.
Dr. Jack Cush reviews this week’s journal articles, focuses on studies that should not have been done and responds to viewer questions in Ask Cush Anything.
Xeljanz Cancer Risks Detailed
The degree to which the oral rheumatology drug tofacitinib (Xeljanz) seems to promote new malignancies is now fleshed out in the latest, and at least somewhat reassuring, report from a landmark safety study.
Idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IIM) is associated with increased risk of lung, ovarian, colorectal, lymphoma, breast, and naso-pharyngeal cancers, often within three years of disease onset. At ACR22, plenary abstract 0002, Oldroyd, et al, reviewed the 18 recommendations provided by the International Myositis Assessment and Clinical Studies Group (IMACS) steering committee.
The masses have returned to ACR22, a live, face-to-face, and virtual, meeting that began Saturday in Philadelphia. There were hassles and glitches, yet the education and sessions were as you’d expect with many good presentations worth recapping.
Is patient-administered cervical cancer screening an option for women with SLE? Should I prescribe estrogen containing contraceptives to SLE women with APL antibodies? What complications should I be aware of in pregnant women with SLE? Here are three abstracts that provide insight.


