Are people with lupus more likely to develop cancers?
People with lupus are no more likely to develop cancer than are people in the general population. However, people who have received certain chemotherapy drugs do carry the added risk of developing cancer sometime later in life. Are there any special considerations regarding treatment of cancer in people with lupus? Cancer can be treated in many ways; with surgery, radiation and/or chemotherapy. All people with lupus who have surgery for cancer, should be followed closely by their personal physician and/or the rheumatologist to evaluate the activity of their lupus throughout the course. For patients receiving steroid therapy and surgical procedures, their steroid dosage will have to be adjusted during the time just shortly before surgery and then tapered slowly over time after surgery. If a person is scheduled for surgery and they take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or aspirin, any of which may effect their clotting time, these medications will need to be stopped prior to surgery
