Exploring the relationship between morphea and malignancy: a decade-long single-center study of 204 patients

The association between systemic scleroderma and malignancy is well-documented, but there is limited data on the relationship between morphea and malignancy. This study aims to assess the incidence and types of malignancies in morphea patients, comparing demographics, clinical characteristics, treatments, and outcomes between those with and without malignancy. We conducted a retrospective study of 204 morphea patients treated at Rabin Medical Center between 2012 and 2023. Data on demographics, clinical subtypes, comorbidities, treatments, and outcomes were collected. Patients were categorized based on malignancy status and the timing of malignancy relative to their morphea diagnosis. Among the 204 patients (154 women and 50 men, mean age 53.7 ± 20 years), 47 (23%) developed malignancies. In 29 patients (61.7%), malignancy occurred before the onset of morphea; in 23 patients (48.9%), it occurred after morphea. Five patients (10.6%) had malignancies both before and after the diagnosis of morphea. Patients with malignancy were significantly older than those without (64.7 ± 15.1 years vs. 50.3 ± 20 years, p < 0.0001). The all-cause mortality rate was higher in the malignancy group compared to those without malignancy (23.4% vs. 3.8%, p = 0.00002). Moreover, mortality was higher in patients whose malignancy occurred after morphea than in those whose malignancy preceded morphea (26% vs. 17.2%). The most common post-morphea malignancies in our cohort included non-melanoma skin cancer, cervical cancer, breast cancer, stomach cancer, and lung cancer. The most common pre-morphea malignancies included breast cancer, non-melanoma skin cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, and testicular cancer. This study suggests potential associations between morphea and malignancies, influenced by patient age, sequence of diagnosis, and treatment regimens. Further control studies are needed to explore these relationships more definitively.