Sarcoid and Cancer – Is Sarcoidosis A Form Of Cancer?
A. Sarcoidosis is not a form of cancer. Sarcoidosis and cancer differ in the way cells develop. In cancer, cells multiply out of control and lack order. In sarcoidosis, cells act as if they are growing around an unseen invader eventually forming granulomas or lumps. Despite these differences, there is a link between sarcoidosis and cancer. People with sarcoidosis may be at a slightly higher risk of developing cancer – particularly liver, lung and skin cancers & lymphomas. This elevated risk may be related to the chronic inflammation in an affected organ(see symptoms of sarcoidosis). However, the overall risk is similar to what is seen in other chronic conditions, such as diabetes, inflammatory bowl disease, and rheumatoid arthritis. Some drugs used to treat sarcoidosis have been shown to increase the risk of cancer, but only when used in high doses for other conditions.
