HOW MANY OF

YOU KNOW
SOMEONE WITH
CANCER?
Link between Alopecia
Areata and various cancers

Sachi Pawar
Independent Research ||
Dr. Kiehl

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Overview
❖ Why I chose topic

❖ Alopecia Areata & Research Question

❖ Topic Background/ Findings

❖ Meta-analysis

❖ Product

❖ Future Aspirations
https://www.twins.org.au/
❖ Closing 3
Interest ❖ “Defective immune system
related disorders are prone to
increase the risk of cancer
❖ Prospective career formation” (Chen et al, 2017).
❖ “Cancer risk in AA patients is
❖ Lack of Research organ specific, and it is not
associated with the underlying
autoimmune disorders in
patients with AA” (Chen et al,
2017).

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Alopecia Research
Areata Question
Is there a link between
Autoimmune disorder Alopecia Areata and
that results in patchy various cancers?
hair loss
AA Patients at Risk

“
for Cancer
● Lymphoma

● Breast Cancer
]

○ Females under 50 https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/un

derstanding/what-is-cancer

● Kidney Cancer

● Urinary Bladder Cancer 6

Cancer Patients at
Risk for AA
● Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer

● Upper Gastrointestinal Cancer

● Liver Cancer

● Uterine Cancer

● Cervical Cancer* https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320227.php

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Meta-analysis
Scholarly articles assessed by criteria
Criteria Source 1 Source 2 Source 3 Source 4 Source 5

The link Yes, thyroid disease Yes Yes (especially Yes, in family Yes, as there
between was present in 14.6% of thyroid members with AA, was an
Alopecia Alopecia Areata autoimmunity) 24.4% prevalence of increase in
Areata and patients thyroid function thyroid
Thyroid abnormalities and peroxidase
Cancer 8.5 in normal AA antibody in
patients. AA patients.

Type of Study/ 3568 individuals with The research study An epidemiologic Medical records of A case-control
Study model AA in Boston were that took patients study of 70 AA 123 patients with AA study of 50
evaluated for a year on from 8 London patients that are were analyzed for Alopecia
the comorbid diseases hospitals to study otherwise healthy. disease patterns as totalis and
that they exhibited. Alopecia Areata and well as the presence alopecia
thyroid disease in of similar diseases in universalis,
trisomy 21 patients first-degree family and 50 AA
(Down’s syndrome). members. patients.

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Meta-analysis
Other Cancers - - - - -

Other diseases Diabetes mellitus, Down’s Syndrome - No, however, there No, however,
inflammatory bowel is a earlier onset of varying levels
disease, systemic lupus AA in patients with of AA affect
erythematosus, thyroid in familial the prevalence
rheumatoid arthritis, history. of thyroid
psoriasis, and psoriatic cancer (mild
arthritis, atopy, rhinitis, AA is
asthma, and mental associated
health problems (all with the
diseases are in order of highest
most to least prevalent prevalence)
in AA patients)

AA subtypes - - - - Alopecia
Totalis
Alopecia
Universalis

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Patterns
● Research Question → link between

conditions

● Understand cause on cellular level

● Expand to other diseases to help

explain link between AA and cancer

http://edulab.uoc.edu/en/links/internacio
nal-seminar-evidence-based-research-
methodological-approaches-and-practic
al-outcomes/ 10
Comorbidities
● Simultaneous presence of two conditions in a

patient at a time

● Not have a causational relationship

○ Associational

○ Correlational
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Fundraiser
● Bake / Pizza sale ~ Mid-May (Hebron Students)

○ Give back to National Alopecia Areata Research

Foundation → minimal funding and research

● Promote research and awareness for AA and cancer

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Future Aspirations
● Treatment options for Alopecia Areata

● Oncology in Intern Mentor

● Link between two diseases

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Works Cited
“Cancer Statistics”. (N.D.) NIH. Retrieved from https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/statistics

Chen, C., Chang Y., Liu, H, & Chen Y. (2018). Cancer risk in patients with alopecia areata: a nationwide population-based matched

cohort study. US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health. Retrieved from

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29577672

Duvic, M., Fernandes, K., Dresser, K., & Rodriguez, T. (2018). Concordance rate of alopecia areata in identical twins supports

both genetic and environmental factors. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. Retrieved from

https://www.jaad.org/article/S0190-9622(09)00143-1/fulltext

Lee, J., Song, Y., Han, K., Park, Y., Lee, J., Park, Y., & Lee, Y. (2018). Cancer risk by the subtype of alopecia. US National Library

of Medicine National Institutes of Health. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6021412/ 14

“Good health is the most
important. More than
success. More than money.
More than power.”
~Lee Strasberg

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Questions?

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