World Changers (3.14.2025)
Dr Jack Cush and his podcast friends are out to change the world. Here is his weekly review of the news and journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.
Read Article
Channeling Bias and Cancer Risk with Biologic or Targeted Synthetic DMARDs
A retrospective US administrative claims cohort study of Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients on tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFis), non-TNFi biologics, or Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKis) found a… https://t.co/8jqJwkEbZF https://t.co/cQ9aheU5mc
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
A Veterans study of 27,540 #RA pts shows the risk of multiple myeloma (MM) did not differ b/tsDMARD & csDMARD users. 30% took b/tsDMARD during follow-up (192,000 PYs). MM incidence rate: b/tsDMARD-naïve 0.37/1000PYs vs csDMARDs 0.42/1000PYs (HR 1.32; 0.78, 2.26)… https://t.co/Xp4v4eIQnd https://t.co/5MVdz5UQSb
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Metanalysis of cancer risk w/ abatacept vs placebo or TNFi in #RA. (18 RCTs, 10 LTE, 15 535 PYs ABA exposure) show no signif increase in malignancy for ABA vs PBO (IRR 0.58) or TNFi (IRR 0.72). Observational data ABA > other b/tsDMARDs (IRR 1.21; 1.15–1.28), but not csDMARDs… https://t.co/2aBfwyKv0e https://t.co/zUmaHZN3mR
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Risk of Cancer on JAKi in RA (12 463 vs 38 345 controls). No incr risk of CA w/ exposure to JAKi (adj OR 1.04), TNFi (0.98), other bDMARDs (0.98). But JAKi was assoc w/ signif more lung CA (1.40; esp in males 2.12) & less breast CA (0.62) in women https://t.co/fr3VjPhJve https://t.co/zNehdWBbeI
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Cross-trait study of >300K patients’ electronic health records at UCSF and Stanford. Autoimmune conditions associate with greater Alzheimer’s risk (ORs 1.4–1.7). Women with autoimmune disorders have higher risk than men with autoimmune disorders https://t.co/bwtGhyNBs6 https://t.co/FNUdRNozCw
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Australian population study of 14,041 RA pts (68% F; age 65 yrs) vs 33,785 controls, preexisting cancer (CA) in RA was less prevalent (7.6% vs 14.2%). Cancer incid. rates lower in RA (CIR 19.68 vs 24.77) & stable over 3 decades. RA CIR higher for lung (CIR 1.17) & heme CA (CIR… https://t.co/k5KRwYT6jl https://t.co/MVfmuTGlth
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
B Cell Depleters (2.21.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal articles from the past week on RheumNow.com.
Read Article
Korean insurance claims data shows #RA pts have a higher risk of renal cancer (vs gen. population), unrelated to serostatus. The renal CA risk (aHR 1.34;1.04–1.78) was higher in women (aHR 1.57); but RA was not assoc w/ risk of CA of bladder, prostate or testes… https://t.co/owSeqibcPu https://t.co/N3TRQuKZJs
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
JAMA Review on Dx & Rx of Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance. MGUS has NO Sxs or organ damage. MGUS & Dz associations (OP, Autoimmune) were likely overestimated; M protein testing should be done if malignancy or MGCS is suspected. Risk of progression to malignancy… https://t.co/Jikc5q3BJL https://t.co/hxhcD4bJ2X
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
TNF inhibitor use did not affect mortality outcomes in 3 cohorts w/ early Cancer (colorectal [514], lung [864], & prostate [603]). 12-20% of CA pts recv TNFi. Overall survival at Yr 1 unaffected in colorectal (HR 0·72; 0·43–1·21), Lung (0·70; 0·49–1·00), Prostate (0·80;… https://t.co/Pi8rNuvioO
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Celecoxib Lowers Colon Cancer Recurrence Risk
The Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology today announced the results of a data analysis from a randomized phase III clinical trial involving patients with stage III colon cancer, which found that adding the drug celecoxib to… https://t.co/tIoMtRlwKt https://t.co/fzOAplwJLi
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Korean Study of 10,013 #SLE pts (91%F)those on immunosuppressives were not at greater risk for cancer. Total CA risk (n 368) was 59 per 10,000 PYs. Most common Thyroid, breast, Gastric, colon & cervical. https://t.co/R0s7ZXaUoX https://t.co/jAc5mgtmlm
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Participation is Up! (1.31.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.com. We also have two call-in cases on "Ask Cush Anything".
Be sure to join in the fun at RNL 2025 next weekend - Gong Show Karaoke; what will you sing?
Read Article
Celecoxib Lowers Colon Cancer Recurrence Risk
The Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology today announced the results of a data analysis from a randomized phase III clinical trial involving patients with stage III colon cancer, which found that adding the drug
Read Article
Weak Data (1.24.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from RheumNow.com, and features Dr. Charity Dean, the Keynote speaker at RheumNow Live 2025, and why she is an inspiration.
Read Article
Eltrombopag, a Potential New Treatment for ITP
A pilot trial has shown a thrombopoietin receptor agonist, eltrombopag (Promacta), to be effective in connective tissue disease-related (CTD), refractory immune thrombocytopenia (ITP).
Read Article
Outcomes Comparison study of late-onset RA (LORA) vs younger-onset RA (YORA) showed similar Dz activity assessments over 5 years but Late onset RA had worse functional outcomes and more adverse events (adj HR 4.7 for death & 2.6 for malignancy). https://t.co/b58zJG1OuA https://t.co/WZa12O06Rf
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Should you worry about giving TNFi to RA pts after a cancer diagnosis?
Medicare data with colorectal, lung, prostate Ca:
TNFi pts survival no worse (numerically better) than csDMARDs
Cancer pts deserve good RA treatment!
#ACR24 ABST0202 Suarez-Almazor @MDAndersonNews @RheumNow… https://t.co/aR75hJQ6YK https://t.co/ptDYCsOpXN
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Best of 2024: Lung Cancer in Rheumatoid Arthritis and Interstitial Lung Disease
https://t.co/Sd3H5Tzhtf https://t.co/guXzL5bc6R
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Best of 2024: Lung Cancer in Rheumatoid Arthritis and Interstitial Lung Disease
A matched cohort study from the Veterans Health Administration shows that rheumatoid arthritis patients have a >50% increased risk of lung cancer, and a 3-fold higher risk of lung cancer in RA-interstitial lung disease (ILD).
Read Article
Japanese registry study of CV & CA outcomes in #RA. CV (MACE) events = IR 0.49/100 PY.
Cancer= IR 0.78/100PY. MACE risk factors: Male, age≥65, HTN, Renal or cerebrovascular Dz; CA risk w/ Male, age, NSAID, COPD, SIE, CA Hx. https://t.co/uBFbho25La https://t.co/3ClEwCvdDY
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Summary of JAKi Studies
Dr. Peter Nash, at the 2024 ACR Convergence meeting in Washington, DC, talks about JAKi data presented in: the SELECT-GCA trial and safety signals; ILD; cancer; cycling; RA; uveitis; and new JAKs under study.
https://t.co/ywmtrTi0iF https://t.co/nbFFojL1i4
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Primary Hypophosphatemia (HYPOPH) - Japan study 50,136 adults w/ 424,434 alk phosphatase (ALP) tests. Persistent HYPOPH seen in 0.54% (273) due to cancer(30%), steroids(21%), DMARDs (16%). Unexplained HYPOPH had pain, muscle weakness, fatigue & could have primary HYPOPH… https://t.co/kGPSXSYEZI https://t.co/RtwSRnzeU0
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Primary Hypophosphatemia (HYPOPH) - Japan study 50,136 adults w/ 424,434 alk phosphatase (ALP) tests. Persistent HYPOPH seen in 0.54% (273) due to cancer(30%), steroids(21%), DMARDs (16%). Unexplained HYPOPH had pain, muscle weakness, fatigue & could have primary HYPOPH… https://t.co/8RbSnhS3vl https://t.co/NdRIA4oREr
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Recent Blogs
