Patterns of autoimmunity and subsequent solid tumors among 4.5 million U.S. veterans

11020 Background: Autoimmune diseases (AIs) are well-known to increase the risk of hematologic malignancies; however, risks for solid tumors are largely unknown. The aim of this large study was to assess the association between a wide range of AIs and subsequent solid tumors. Methods: We identified 4,501,578 male veterans with up to 26 years of follow-up. Based on hospital discharge-record data, we fit Poisson regression models to calculate relative risks (RR) of solid cancer following a history of AIs. Results: A total of 346,258 veterans were diagnosed with a solid tumor. We found a marginally decreased risk (RR=0.98) for any solid tumor following a history of any AI. In contrast, lung cancer risk was increased (RR=1.17 to 1.52) among individuals with a history of systemic AIs (rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and systemic sclerosis). Simultaneously, lung cancer risk was decreased (RR=0.46 to 0.86) for 9 other AIs (including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, chronic rheumatic heart disea...