Long-term risks of malignancy in myositis-specific antibody-positive idiopathic inflammatory myopathy

To identify the long-term risks of malignancy in patients with myositis-specific antibody (MSA)-positive idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IIM). This retrospective cohort study included 216 IIM patients (aged > 18 years). Of these, 109 patients were positive for antibodies against anti-aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase (ARS), melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (MDA5), Mi-2, and transcriptional intermediary factor 1-γ (TIF1-γ). Age- and sex-matched standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) were calculated to compare the incidence of malignancy in IIM patients to that of the general population. The malignancy-free survival rate was estimated by Kaplan–Meier methods. Our study included 109 patients, 64 with anti-ARS, 28 with anti-MDA5, 9 with anti-Mi-2, and 8 with anti-TIF1-γ antibodies; 16 and 5 patients were diagnosed with a malignancy within 3 years before or after and within 4 to 10 years after their IIM onset, respectively. The SIRs of malignancy within 3 years of IIM onset for each MSA were calculated as follows: 2.12 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.98–4.35) for anti-ARS, 1.87 (95% CI 0.48–4.97) for anti-MDA5, 2.11 (95% CI 0.11–13.69) for anti-Mi-2, and 9.30 (95% CI 2.98–25.58) for anti-TIF1-γ antibodies. The SIR at 4 to 10 years after IIM onset in patients with an anti-MDA5 antibody was 4.62 (95% CI 1.19–14.72); other MSAs did not have statistically significant SIRs. The long-term SIR of malignancy in patients with an anti-MDA5 antibody was 4.62 (95% CI 1.19–14.72), and the SIR among patients with an anti-TIF1-γ antibody within 3 years of IIM onset was 9.30 (95% CI 2.98–25.58). Screening for malignancies in patients with late phase of IIM and an anti-MDA5 antibody may be beneficial.