ANCA-associated vasculitis in the context of oncology: a diagnostic challenge

Franchuk M.V.¹, Smiyan S.I.¹, Kuleshko I.I.¹, Makhovska O.S.², Slaba U.S.¹, Hrymalyuk N.V.¹

• ¹Ternopil National Medical University named after I.Ya. Horbachevsky Ministry of Health of Ukraine
• ²KNP «Ternopil Regional Clinical Hospital» of the Ternopil Regional Council

Summary. According to research, patients with ANCA-vasculitis demonstrate a higher risk of developing malignancy compared to the general population. The most common are lung, kidney, bladder, breast, prostate, colon, non-melanoma skin cancers, hematological malignancies. The main reasons contributing to the risk of tumor development are immunosuppressive drugs that can reduce or mask early manifestations of oncological processes. It is important to conduct a thorough differential diagnosis of both vasculitis and malignant neoplasms. One of the main methods for confirming the diagnosis will be a biopsy of the affected tissue. When ANCA-vasculitis is associated with hematological malignancies, a worse prognosis, more complicated treatment, and an increased risk of bacterial infection are recorded. This review describes the main points characterizing the mechanisms of development, course, and prognosis of oncopathology in patients with ANCA-vasculitis.