Double malignancy and a mycobacterial infection in a rheumatoid arthritis patient

Saudi Med J. 2022 Sep;43(9):1062-1065. doi: 10.15537/smj.2022.43.9.20220563.

Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis is a common autoimmune disease. Malignancy is a serious complication of rheumatoid arthritis and its treatment. In this article, we discuss a 61-year-old woman who is a known case of Rheumatoid arthritis and secondary Sjögren's syndrome treated with disease-modifying anti-rheumatoid drugs and multiple lines of biological therapies. She was found to have recto-sigmoid cancer, disseminated tuberculosis infection, and acute lymphoid leukemia at different intervals of treatment. Therefore, it is advisable to initiate appropriate screening programs that target high-risk people for malignancy.

Keywords: arthritis; biologic therapy; infection; malignancy; rheumatoid.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Arthritis, Rheumatoid* / complications
  • Arthritis, Rheumatoid* / drug therapy
  • Autoimmune Diseases*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasms* / complications