Health

Many autoimmune disorders are linked to cancer, so as autoimmune disorders increase - so does the risk of cancer.

My daughter has two autoimmune disorders: Ulcerative colitis (Dx age 4) and Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (Dx age 18).

She has imaging for cancer every 6 months, and a colonoscopy every year (since age 18) because the combination of these two diseases significantly increases her risk for colon cancer, cholangiocarcinoma, gall bladder cancer, pancreatic cancer, and liver cancer. She will soon start a new medication which increases her risk for leukopenia, and skin cancers.

My cancers probably aren't linked to my autoimmune disorder (Hashimoto's thyroiditis) - but I've got both breast cancer and a sarcoma.

And long term consequences of drug use also contribute. I have two friends - sisters - who were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer within 18 months of each other. In utero exposure to DES does not have an established link to pancreatic cancer, but there have been some suggestions that it may increase the risk for pancreatic cancer in women (but not men).