Clinical Report: Hidradenitis Suppurativa Linked to Increased Cancer Risk

Overview

A systematic review and meta-analysis of 11 studies involving over 600,000 patients with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) found that HS is associated with a 1.82-fold increased odds of developing cancer compared to the general population. Elevated risks were noted across multiple organ systems, including head and neck, respiratory, hematologic, and gastrointestinal cancers, although the overall absolute risk remains low.

Background

Hidradenitis suppurativa is a chronic inflammatory skin condition that has been hypothesized to increase cancer risk due to persistent inflammation and associated comorbidities. Prior studies have reported conflicting results regarding cancer risk in HS patients. This meta-analysis pooled data from diverse populations to clarify the association between HS and cancer incidence, using rigorous systematic review methods and standardized odds ratios to compare risks across cancer types.

Data Highlights

Key Findings

• Patients with HS had 1.82 times the odds of developing any cancer compared to controls.
• Significantly increased odds were observed for head and neck cancers (2.41-fold), respiratory cancers (1.81-fold), hematologic malignancies (1.71-fold), and gastrointestinal cancers (1.61-fold).
• Unadjusted analyses showed increased odds for Hodgkin lymphoma (2.44-fold) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (1.15-fold), but adjusted analyses did not confirm lymphoma risk elevation.
• No significant associations were found between HS and bone, soft-tissue, breast, central nervous system, urogenital, or unspecified cancers.
• Skin cancer subtypes including basal-cell carcinoma, squamous-cell carcinoma, and melanoma were not significantly associated with HS.
• Limitations included inconsistent adjustment for confounders such as smoking, obesity, and ethnicity, and lack of data on disease severity and treatment.

Clinical Implications

Clinicians should be aware that patients with hidradenitis suppurativa have an increased relative risk of certain cancers, particularly in the head and neck, respiratory, hematologic, and gastrointestinal systems. However, the absolute risk remains low, and routine cancer screening should be guided by individual risk factors and clinical judgment. Attention to modifiable risk factors such as smoking cessation may be beneficial given their potential confounding role.

Conclusion

This meta-analysis demonstrates that hidradenitis suppurativa is associated with a modestly increased risk of several cancer types, likely reflecting multifactorial influences including chronic inflammation and comorbidities. Further research is needed to clarify mechanisms and to guide targeted cancer surveillance strategies in this population.

References

1. Isufi et al. 2025 -- Hidradenitis Suppurativa and Cancer Risk: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis