This paper examines whether using tacrolimus (Protopic) cream for treating atopic dermatitis increases cancer risk in children. The study specifically looked at whether there was any increased risk of lymphoma or other cancers in children who used tacrolimus for extended periods.
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No Evidence of Increased Cancer Incidence in Children Using Topical Tacrolimus for Atopic Dermatitis.
No Evidence of Increased Cancer Incidence in Children Using Topical Tacrolimus for Atopic Dermatitis.
Amy S Paller, Regina Fölster-Holst, Suephy C Chen, Thomas L Diepgen, Craig Elmets, David J Margolis, Brad H Pollock
DOI: 10.1016/j.jaad.2020.03.075
Observational Study
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7,954 participants
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2020
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28 citations
Key insights related to Protopic from this study:
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What is this paper about?
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How did the authors study this?
The researchers tracked children who used tacrolimus cream for at least 6 weeks over a 10-year period. They compared the number of cancer cases in these children to what would be expected in the general population, using data from national cancer registries.
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What populations did the authors study?
The study included 7,954 children with atopic dermatitis from 314 medical sites across 9 countries. All participants had used tacrolimus cream for at least 6 weeks.
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What did the authors find?
During the study period (44,629 person-years), only 6 cancer cases were confirmed. This rate was similar to what would be expected in the general population. Importantly, no cases of lymphoma were found.
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What conclusions can we draw?
The authors concluded that using tacrolimus cream does not increase the risk of cancer in children with atopic dermatitis. The cancer rates in children using tacrolimus were the same as what would be expected in children who don't use the medication.
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