The association between adult IgA vasculitis and cancer : a prospective observational study

Hočevar, Alojzija (author), Jurčić, Vesna (author), Rotar, Žiga (author)

Objectives: Cancer has been reported as a potential trigger for IgA vasculitis (IgAV) in adults; however, data on this topic are scarce. The aim of our study was to examine the frequency and location of cancer in adults with IgAV. Methods: We included 295 IgAV patients diagnosed between January 2010 and June 2021 and followed at our secondary/tertiary rheumatology centre. Cancer episodes were recorded and classified into three groups according to their temporal relation to IgAV: (1) cancer diagnosed prior to IgAV; (2) cancer diagnosed concurrently with IgAV; and (3) cancer diagnosed during IgAV follow-up. The term IgAV associated with cancer (IgAV-CA) was used for IgAV cases presenting while cancer was active or diagnosed within a three-year period before or after the IgAV diagnosis. Results: Forty-seven IgAV patients (15.9%) developed a total of 56 different cancers. Of these, 43 cancers (76.8%) preceded the IgAV diagnosis, 3 cancers (5.3%) were diagnosed concurrently with IgAV, and 10 cancers (17.9%) were diagnosed during the IgAV follow-up. Twenty-two IgAV patients (7.5%) who developed a total of 24 cancers (42.9%) could be classified as IgAV-CA cases. The three most frequently diagnosed cancers in the IgAV-CA group were prostatic, renal and bladder cancer, together accounting for 50% of cancers. Age and smoking were associated with concurrent cancers, and arthritis represented a risk factor for cancer development during IgAV follow-up. Conclusion: IgAV cases associated with cancer represent 7% of adult IgAV cases. In elderly patients, careful examination of the urogenital tract is warranted when cancer is suspected.

• Language: English
• Keywords: adult IgA vasculitis, cancer, risk factor, temporal relation, urogenital cancers
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: MF - Faculty of Medicine
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: 8 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 12, art. 1551772
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-181257
• UDC: 616-002: 616-006
• ISSN on article: 2296-858X
• DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2025.1551772
• COBISS.SI-ID: 271245059
• Publication date in RUL: 01.04.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Frontiers in medicine
• Shortened title: Front. med.
• Publisher: Frontiers Media
• ISSN: 2296-858X
• COBISS.SI-ID: 523095065

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: vaskulitis IgA pri odraslih, rak (medicina), dejavniki tveganja, časovna povezava, rak urogenitalnega sistema

Projects

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: J7-60132
• Name: Personalizirana medicina vaskulitisa IgA