High Risk of Skin Cancer Among Patients with Atopic Dermatitis, New Study Finds

Adults with inflammatory skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis may face an increased risk of skin cancer. "We don't think about skin cancer as having an inflammatory component or inflammatory risk, but it really does," says clinical professor of Dermatology, Dr. Darl Regal. The link between psoriasis and skin cancer has already changed some treatment decisions. "Studies now show, for example, that psoriasis patients have an increased risk of skin cancer in all three major types. For that reason, certain biologics are more recommended than others for patients with a history of skin cancer."

Another recent study followed 60 million patients from 2007 to 2021 and found that adults with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis had a significantly higher risk of developing melanoma than those with mild cases. Dr. Regal predicts that these new findings will also change how patients with atopic dermatitis are treated. "We have to screen these people more closely because they're at greater risk," he explains. It's estimated that more than 31 million people in the US have some form of atopic dermatitis, and more than 8 million have psoriasis.