On cancer incidence in multiple sclerosis and effects of immunomodulatory treatments

Breast Cancer Research and Treatment (2005) 92: 197 Springer 2005

DOI 10.1007/s10549-005-1687-7Letter to the editorOn cancer incidence in multiple sclerosis and eects of immunomodulatory

treatmentsPaul D. FeiginFaculty of Industrial Engineering and Management, Technion Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel 32000The study by Achiron et al. [1], pending publication in

this journal, has been posted on the journal website since

September 2004 as an uncorrected proof in Articles

in Advance (http://www.kluweronline.com/issn/0167-

6806/contents). The article suggests that there might be

a potential for higher risk of breast cancer among women with MS who were treated with Copaxone (glatiramer acetate), compared to the same population prior to

initiation of Copaxone therapy. The study examined

1338 MS patients from a single center in Israel. Of 892

women, 15 developed breast cancer, 4 of which occurred

after initiation of immunomodulatory therapy (beta-interferons, Copaxone or IV Immunoglobulins). Achiron

et al. did not...