Secukinumab is not associated with cancer recurrence or progression in patients with spondyloarthritis and history of neoplastic disease

Secukinumab is a monoclonal antibody directed against interleukin-17 approved for the treatment of psoriasis and spondyloarthritis. The favorable oncological profile of secukinumab in patients with a history of malignancy has been shown in patients with psoriasis. However, systematic data to this regard have not been published yet for patients with spondyloarthritis. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the oncological safety of secukinumab in patients affected by this group of diseases. We performed a retrospective study in which we identified from our cohort patients with spondyloarthritis treated with secukinumab and with a history of malignancy. These patients’ baseline demographic, treatment, rheumatological, and oncological data were collected. The neoplastic outcome (i.e., cancer recurrence or progression) after secukinumab start was then analyzed. Our study included 22 patients with spondyloarthritis. The most frequently reported oncological diagnosis was breast cancer (9 [41%] patients). Secukinumab was started after a median of 24 months following cancer diagnosis. At this time point, all but three patients were in oncological remission. No case of cancer relapse or progression was recorded over a median follow-up of 30 months. In the largest cohort reported to date to this regard, secukinumab was not associated with oncological recurrence or progression in patients with spondyloarthritis with a history of malignancy. Secukinumab may, therefore, represent a safe option in this clinical scenario.